Death By Healing
by wolverette
Summary: Kristiverse #1. Tragedy strikes when Wildstar is captured, along with Wolverine and Jubilee, and the girls find themselves in a fight to the finish to save their feral companion from a fate worse than death. Complete!
1. The Arrival

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men. I wish I did, because I'd be rich and live in a big house!

I wrote this years ago, and have only just plucked up the courage to submit it for all to read! It was written just after Jubilee joined the team and doesn't really follow any natural progression from the comics - I just enjoy writing about the characters I love, so I often let my pen and my heart dictate the story! Kristi Marsters is my own creation - apologies if she shows any similarites to any other character in the comics universe. This was not intended and is purely coincidental.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter - it would be greatly encouraging and would prompt me to upload the rest of the story if you would like to read more! Please be kind!

Death By Healing

The Arrival

"For Heaven's sake, Jubilee!" Scott Summers jumped back as a small figure wearing rollerblades almost ran him down as he stepped out of his room. "You are so grounded if the Professor catches you rollerblading in the corridors!"

Jubilee tossed a cheery wave over her shoulder as she headed for the stairs. She knew she shouldn't tease him – Scott was their leader after all – but, for the moment, she just didn't care. It was Saturday, there was no training and at last the weather actually looked warm enough for a person to brave the outdoors without being in imminent danger of freezing to death instantly.

Reaching the stairs, she stepped down them carefully one by one, holding onto the banister for support. It would be so embarrassing to slip now and break her fool neck. Of course, it would have been so much simpler to put the 'blades on at the front door, but where was the fun in that? Jubilee had never been one for doing things the easy way. If there were two ways to achieve an outcome, Jubilee would take the hard path every time.

Finally reaching the freedom of the front door, Jubilee let herself out, slamming the large heavy wood door behind her in her eagerness to be off. A tour of the mansion grounds proved uneventful and relatively boring. A few early spring bulbs were just beginning to show through the thin covering of snow that still held on here and there but, overall, there was nothing to hold a teenager's interest among the winter darkened shrubs and trees of the formal gardens, so she skated down to the lake, hoping to spend some time skimming stones. But the waves across the lake were too choppy for skimming, so she sat beneath her favourite tree, idly tossing pebbles into the water. Her thoughts flitted like quicksilver from one thing to another, as the thoughts of a teenager are inclined to do, until the beginnings of a cool breeze and the onset of boredom forced her to think of returning to warmer surroundings.

She skated slowly back towards the house, expertly avoiding the lingering patches of snow. As she crossed the front lawn, she was surprised to see a car parked outside on the driveway. She paused for a moment to admire the sleek lines of the antique Ford Mustang, idly wondering who owned it. It certainly didn't belong to any of the mansion's current residents. Probably a visitor then, but who? Jubilee looked around, but she couldn't see anyone, so she guessed the car's owner was already inside, most likely with the Professor. She felt a flash of annoyance that she'd missed their arrival during her trip to the lake. Visitors to the mansion were rare, especially ones that were actually invited. In Jubilee's so far short experience with the X-Men, visitors didn't announce themselves at the front door, usually preferring to sneak in the back way, cloaked and shielded, with all guns blazing. Causing mayhem was an optional extra.

Turning back to the car, Jubilee let her hand trail along the Mustang's sparkling chrome finish and envisioned herself behind the wheel. It was a heady vision for the young fourteen year old. Wolverine had recently started to teach her how to drive, but his dusty old Jeep just couldn't compare to a classic car.

Thinking of her teammate forced a grunt of annoyance from the young mutant. One of his characteristic disappearing acts was the reason why she was moping around the mansion alone, instead of hanging out at the mall, checking out the latest fashions. Infuriating man!

Jubilee snorted in disgust and let herself back into the mansion, slamming the door with a little more force than was actually necessary. "Oops!" She cringed, awaiting shouted reprimands, but the hallways were quiet – uncharacteristically so, even for a weekend. Breathing a heartfelt sigh of relief, she removed her rollerblades and placed them on a chair by the door, before padding in her socks down the hallway to the senior rec room. As it was only mid-morning, she half expected the room to be unoccupied, but Ororo Monroe looked up from a book as the young mutant entered and smiled warmly. Rogue, seated in a comfortable chair near the fireplace, was listening to music on a personal walkman, her foot waving vigorously to a beat only she could hear.

Jubilee dropped dramatically into a chair and drew her legs up beneath her with a loud sigh, calculated to attract attention.

Rogue removed her headset and regarded her teammate keenly. "What's the matter, sugah?"

Jubilee shook her head. "Nothing, really. It's just so quiet. Not that I didn't expect it, this being Saturday and all, but this is major depressionville!"

"Be careful what ya wish for, sugah! When ya'll have been an X-Man for as long as Storm an' Ah have, ya'll learn ta treasure these quiet moments. They're far too rare."

"Hey, I'm not asking for a Sentinel attack, or a major invasion by the Brood," frowned Jubilee. "Just something to do."

Ororo closed her book, marking her place with an elegant finger. "If you are so bored, Jubilee, why don't you find Logan and ask him to run you through a training session in the Danger Room?"

"No can do, Storm. Wolvie's gone into town. Said something about bike parts." Jubilee snorted, forcefully. "I swear he thinks more of that stupid bike than he does about me!"

"A man an' his motorbike are not so easily parted!" Rogue turned off her walkman and set it on the seat beside her. "Wolvie's just being Wolvie, is all, sugah. He just needs his own space from time ta time. Ya should know that better'n all a us."

"Yeah, but ….."

"Jubilee, Logan loves ya like a daughter ….." Rogue began, but Jubilee cut her off with a wave of her hand.

"Ah, heck, I know that! But why does he have to be so darn stubborn? Wouldn't let me go with him. An' I know why, too! I'll give ya three guesses an' the first two don't count!"

"Bar?" asked Ororo, hesitantly.

"Bar" confirmed Jubilee, with a nod.

Ororo laughed at Jubilee's pained expression and disgusted snort. Jubilee had considered herself Wolverine's unofficial 'sidekick' ever since saving his life at the Reaver's base in Australia. After Psylocke had tricked the other X-Men into the Siege Perilous in order to save them from the Reavers , who were waiting in ambush, Jubilee, who had been hiding at the base unbeknown to the X-Men, found herself alone, living in hiding and fearing for her life. Then Wolverine had returned alone from one of his frequent jaunts to Madripoor and walked right into the Reaver trap. Horribly tortured and finally crucified, it looked bad for Wolverine, until being rescued by Jubilee, who had nursed him back to health. They then travelled back to Madripoor where they encountered Psylocke, newly expelled from the Siege Perilous, her persona completely changed. From there, it was just a short haul to finding the rest of the X-Men, whereupon Jubilee was casually accepted as Wolverine's companion and unofficial member of the team. The girl constantly ran the man ragged but, for his part, Wolverine never complained. Moreover, he seemed to have completely taken it upon himself to train Jubilee in the ways of combat, putting her through grueling sessions in the Danger Room. Jubilee seemed to revel in the attention bestowed upon her by her 'hero', was fiercely loyal and immensely proud of him. Ororo often suspected that a bond had formed between the two due to being thrust together during a time of crisis. It was the only way to explain Jubilee's adoration of the gruff mutant, and Wolverine's uncharacteristic patience and tolerance of the over-talkative teenager.

Ororo was forced from her reverie by the realization that Jubilee had asked her a question and she'd missed it. "I beg your pardon, child."

"I said, there's a snazzy car out on the driveway, Ororo. Any idea who it belongs to?"

Ororo nodded. "I believe the Professor is conducting an interview in his study."

"An interview?" Jubilee leaned forward, excitedly. "A new X-Man?"

"This I do not know, Jubilee. I do know that the Professor left instructions not to be disturbed for the duration."

Jubilee's eyes were aglow, lost in her musings. "I bet he's interviewing a new X-Man! It's about time too! Our numbers have been a bit low lately."

"Jubilee, you know as well as I do that it does not work that way. People do not simply 'apply' for the position of 'X-Man'. Only after they've completed their training and graduated will they be even considered for the team and even then it isn't that straightforward. Not all mutants desire to be an X-Man."

"Aw, Storm …."

"Besides, sugah," added Rogue, with a grin. "He could be just as easily be interviewin' for a new gardener!"

"Well, whoever it is, I hope it's a 'he', for a change," remarked Jubilee, decidedly, oblivious to her teammate's words. "We could do with some new male blood around here to give our guys a run for their money! Maybe about seventeen years old ….. with dark, wavy hair …."

The door opened, forcing Jubilee to abandon her list, for which Ororo breathed a sigh of relief. Thank the Goddess for timely interventions.

Professor Xavier entered the room, smiling warmly. "Ah, good. I was hoping I would find some of you here. Come in, Kristi, and meet some of my X-Men."

A young, sandy haired girl stepped into the room behind him. She was wearing a blue sweatshirt, jeans and trainers, looked to be in her late teens / early twenties and was obviously nervous.

Ororo put down her book and rose gracefully to her feet.

"Ororo, I would like to introduce you to Kristi Marsters." Xavier beckoned the girl forward. "She is to spend some time with us, learning how to use her powers safely and wisely. Kristi, this is Ororo Monroe, also known as Storm. She is one of the teachers here. And this is Rogue and Jubilation Lee."

"Jubilee, Professor!" She shot Xavier a quick glare and then waved at Kristi. "Hi! Welcome to the X-Club!"

Ororo moved forward to shake the girl's hand. "We are very pleased to have you join us, Kristi. Please do not be afraid. You are among friends here."

The girl smiled, prettily. "Thanks, Ororo. I guess I am a bit nervous. This is a big day for me."

Xavier pivoted his wheelchair. "Well, I'll leave you all to get acquainted. I have some rather urgent business to attend to in the war room." He paused in the doorway. "Oh, and Jubilee? Please see me in my office after your last lesson on Monday. If memory serves, I believe you are aware that I will not tolerate rollerblading in my corridors?"

"But, Professor ….."

"No buts, Jubilee. My office. Monday."

"Yes, Professor." Jubilee looked crestfallen.

Xavier nodded once in satisfaction and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Jubilee scuffed at the carpet with her foot. "Rumbled. Not cool." She made a mental note not to try outwitting a telepath ever again.

Ororo turned to the youngest X-Man. "Jubilee, I am sure Kristi would appreciate some help getting settled in. Why don't you help take her luggage upstairs?"

"Well, okay. Which room?"

"How about Alison's old room? It has a nice view over the gardens."

"Great! That's right next to mine, Kristi! We're going to be neighbours!" Jubilee took Kristi's arm and headed for the door. "Come on, let's get your cases! Did ya leave 'em out here somewhere …..?"

Kristi was duly propelled from the room by the enthusiastic Jubilee, given only the briefest of moments to wave goodbye to Storm and Rogue before the door closed behind her.

Rogue settled back in her chair and picked up her walkman. "Was that wise, sugah?" she asked, lightly. "What a way ta welcome the poor mite! Spendin' a day with Jubilee will have her runnin' for the hills!"

Ororo smiled as she regained her seat. "If she can survive a day with Jubilee, the girl can survive anything," She paused, thoughtfully. "Consider it an impromptu Danger Room session!"


	2. Settling In

**Settling In**

Grabbing a couple of hold-alls from where they had been left in the hallway, Jubilee helped Kristi upstairs with her luggage and showed her to her new room. She then helped her to unpack, oohing and aahing over the clothes she had brought with her and generally giving her opinion on everything whether Kristi wanted it or not. She chattered incessantly, giving Kristi no time to be nervous or even to reply, and gradually she began to relax, laughing at Jubilee's amusing tales of life at the mansion, and with the X-Men in particular. Embarrassing moments were laid bare and no one was safe from Jubilee's exposure, including their illustrious leader.

"….. and so he stepped back and fell right into the fountain! When we finally fished him out he was draped in water lilies and a very surprised frog was sitting on his shoulder!" Jubilee chuckled at the memory. "I tell ya, Kristi, ya hadda be there!"

She finished her tale and grinned at her companion. Finished with the unpacking, they were now on a tour of the mansion, starting with the upper levels and moving down to the lower, although Jubilee had wisely decided to leave a tour of the mansion's sub-basements to a senior X-Man. The Professor had said he had urgent business in the war room and she had no desire to intrude and gain another detention in the process.

So she told Kristi what to expect at the business end of the mansion as best she could and then, after grabbing jackets, moved the tour outside. Jubilee happily pointed out the pool, the basketball courts and areas where various members of the team had been ambushed over the years, choosing to ignore Kristi's look of horror at that piece of information. They visited the stables and patted the horses, and Jubilee was sad that Danielle Moonstar's stallion, Brightwind, wasn't in current residence. She would have given anything to witness Kristi's expression upon seeing the winged horse.

The garage caused great delight for Kristi. It seemed she had quite an interest in cars and wandered happily among the limousines and private vehicles belonging to the residents. She exclaimed delightedly over Rogue's red sports car and spent several minutes cooing over a racing green Jaguar, while Jubilee leaned against the wall, arms folded and blowing bored bubble gum bubbles, wondering what all the fuss was about.

Jubilee eventually concluded the tour by the boathouse on the lake. This was her favourite haunt, location of many X-Men barbecues and all-night cook-outs and she had wanted to save the best for last. They watched the resident ducks for a time and then meandered slowly back to the mansion.

Conversation up to the present had stayed mainly on mundane matters, but now Jubilee could contain herself no longer. She just had to know. "So, Kristi, if you don't mind me asking, what's your mutant ability? Does it have a Wow factor or is it something more on the quieter side?"

"Well, I don't know. You tell me." Kristi hesitated a moment and turned slowly, seeking something and finally locating what she needed nearby. "See that small rock? The one almost hidden in the grass? Watch!"

Kristi curled her right hand into a fist, raised it and immediately it was surrounded by a soft golden glow. She thrust her fist forward and the glow shot out to envelope the rock, which promptly exploded, showering the duo with dusty fragments.

"Wow!" enthused Jubilee. "Like, cool!"

Kristi brushed dust from her denim jacket. "I call them starbolts. Probably because of the colour, I guess. The name just stuck. I can fly too," she added, almost apologetically.

"Neat!" exclaimed Jubilee. "We only have two flyers at the moment. That's Rogue and Storm and you've already met them. We've had more, but people drift away, y'know? The team never stays the same from one year to the next. But we can never have enough flyers. Saves on air fares somewhat!"

Kristi laughed. "Well, don't expect anything fancy. Back home, there was never an opportunity to practice flying. I'm a bit rusty. I'll be lucky if I can get off the ground at all without crashing into something!"

"Want to try now?" asked Jubilee, helpfully.

Kristi looked around her and then shook her head. "No thanks, if you don't mind. The sky looks awfully big up there and, to be honest, I've never flown outside before."

"You haven't?" Jubilee was shocked.

Kristi grimaced. "I've heard what happens to mutants who accidentally reveal their powers to the general public. Flying where everyone can see you is just asking for trouble."

Jubilee nodded in agreement, much as it pained her to admit it. "Storm and Rogue run the flying classes here, Kristi. They'll have you up in the air in no time, don't you worry. Have you chosen a codename yet? Please say yes, or the Prof will give you one, and they suck!"

"I've been calling myself Wildstar. I'm not too good at targeting yet, so the 'wild' bit seemed appropriate." Kristi grinned, ruefully.

"If targeting is your problem, I reckon you should join Gambit's class too. He blows things up on a regular basis, so your powers should compliment each other nicely."

"So what's your mutant ability?" asked Kristi.

Jubilee struck a dramatic pose. "Watch an' learn, kiddo!"

Globules of light appeared above her hands. They seemed to move about like pools of wax in water, and Jubilee maneuvered them deftly, making some larger, some smaller and some dance around her in circles. Then she sent them spinning away from her in all directions until, at a gesture from the young mutant, they began to explode like mini firecrackers, all at different intensities.

"Now that was impressive," remarked Kristi, as the last firecracker blew itself to smithereens.

"The Professor calls them 'semi-articulate transitory plasmoids'" Jubilee informed her.

"Crikey!"

"Yes, exactly! Which is why I call 'em fireworks!"

"Very apt," agreed Kristi, with a nod.

The screech of car wheels halted any further conversation and they turned to see a jeep hurtling up the driveway, Bryan Adams blasting from the radio. The vehicle slid to a stop next to the Mustang, the music halted abruptly and a man stepped out, carrying a parcel under his arm.

"Who's that?" asked Kristi, as he disappeared into the mansion. "Delivery man?"

"Nah! That's Wolverine!"

"One of the X-Men?"

"Yeah! He's my partner. You'll like him!"

"Your partner? So you're an X-Man, not a student?" Kristi shook her head. "I'm confused. Aren't you a little on the young side to be a fully fledged X-Man?"

Jubilee grinned. "It's a long story, but I'll fill ya in later, 'kay?"

Kristi nodded, and then hesitated with a frown, as a memory suddenly surfaced. "Hey, wait a minute. Did you say 'Wolverine'?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I saw something about him on a news special once. They said he's dangerous …. a killer."

Jubilee snorted. "Hey, if the situation calls for it, o' course he's gonna be dangerous! He's hardly going to try beatin' the good guys to death with cotton wool balls, is he?" Jubilee looked indignant at the stupidity of non-mutants in general and news reporters in particular.

Kristi snickered at the vision Jubilee's words prompted. However, she couldn't help feeling slightly uneasy. The news special had been most specific in its report. It surely couldn't hurt to keep an eye on this 'Wolverine' for safety's sake. She also noticed that Jubilee hadn't denied he was a killer and that chilled her more than the icy breeze.

"So, how did you end up at good ol' Xavier's?" asked Jubilee, sensing Kristi's change in mood and hurrying to change the subject. She led the way to a bench under a tree and they sat.

"Well, actually, it was your Professor who found me," replied Kristi, pulling her jacket tighter as a cool breeze played around the bench.

"He did?"

"Yes. About a month ago."

"Oh, wait, I remember! The Professor said he'd picked up a really strong mutant contact with Cerebro and set out with Scott to investigate. That must have been you!"

"Probably," agreed Kristi, with a nod. "He couldn't have arrived at a better time. My parents have been extremely supportive since my powers first appeared, but there was only so much they could do for me, and it was unfair to keep inflicting all my accidents on them."

"Accidents?"

Kristi sighed and scuffed at the grass with the toe of her trainer. "Like I said, my powers are a bit wild at times. When they first manifested, I demolished the greenhouse, the bathroom door and the garden wall, all in one week. Dad was furious, but my brother thought it was cool! And my sister just kept asking when she was going to get powers too!" She paused, brushing a stray curl out of her eyes with one finger. "With the anti-mutant hysteria growing, it was hard to keep my powers secret. I needed to learn how to use them, in order not to be a danger to my family, yet, at the same time, I was fearful of being discovered. Professor Xavier was the answer to all our prayers. He offered me a place here, and I knew I had to come. But it gave me a buzz to learn that the X-Men are based here too! How cool is that?"

"Don't get too excited," put in Jubilee, barely concealing her pride. "Most days it's just train, train and more training. And when you're not training, you're off saving the universe, or something. Same old, same old!"

Kristi laughed, unsure whether Jubilee was teasing her or not. "So how many X-Men are there?"

Jubilee rolled her eyes. "Too many to mention! We only have a fraction of the team in residence at any given time. At the moment there are eight of us here, plus a few students. Kitty's gone home to see her parents – she'll be back in a fortnight. Hank's at some lecture or other in New York and Angel was here until last week, but he's gone home to check on his stockholdings or some such."

"Angel?"

"Sure. Big guy with wings!"

"Wow!"

"Hey, if you think that's impressive, wait until you meet Nightcrawler! He'll really blow your socks off!" She laughed at Kristi's amazed expression and got to her feet. "Come on, I'm getting' hungry. Let's go in and steal cookies!"

She set off at a brisk pace across the lawn. Kristi jogged to catch up and fell into step beside her.

As they drew level with the two vehicles parked in the driveway, Jubilee gestured appreciatively at the Mustang. "So I guess she's yours then?"

Kristi nodded, proudly. "Sure is."

"She's a beauty. Any chance of a ride sometime?"

"Okay. Why not?"

Jubilee hesitated a moment, an idea forming in her mind. "Y'know, Kristi, there's a mall in town – it's not huge, but there's this great little maltshop where some really cute guys hang out. Why don't we take a trip out there tomorrow and check out the talent?"

Kristi grinned. "Okay! You're on!"

As they made their way back into the mansion, Jubilee reckoned this was going to be the start of a great friendship.

**NEXT **Wildstar experiences her first Danger Room session!!


	3. Danger Room

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own the X-Men, I'm still not rich and I still don't live in a big house!!

Many thanks to usher and firefly4543 for your kind reviews. I hope you enjoy the latest chapter!

**Danger Room**

By eight o' clock on Monday morning, Kristi had showered and was nervously dressing in front of the full length mirror by her wardrobe. Professor Xavier had scheduled a training session for her that morning and, although it wasn't until eleven o'clock he had asked her to assemble with the others at nine so that she could formally meet the senior X-Men and get a feel for the training room before being allowed in there herself. Not knowing what to expect, she was extremely nervous and her hands shook as she brushed her hair and secured it back in a ponytail.

Being unsure what to wear, she had opted for her most comfortable jeans, a T-shirt and trainers. She knew the X-Men wore individually designed uniforms – she had seen them on TV – and Jubilee had told her that they earned the right to wear these uniforms upon graduating. Until then, she would have to wear the standard student uniform which, also according to Jubilee, was yellow and black and as fashionable as a dishcloth. Kristi didn't care if it was made out of old rags. Her most fervent desire was to graduate and become an X-Man and if it meant wearing an unfashionable uniform she would do so – and she would do so with pride.

Suddenly becoming aware that her heart was beating rapidly with nerves, she puffed out her cheeks and exhaled slowly, trying to calm herself. Forcing thoughts of the impending training session from her mind, she smiled at the memory of the previous day's jaunt into town. Once the trip had become common knowledge , both Ororo and Rogue had asked if they could tag along and, at the last minute Elizabeth 'Betsy' Braddock – Psylocke – had come haring out to the car, saying she would be grateful for the ride a she had an errand to run. The whole thing turned out to be something of a girl's day out, with the senior X-Men cheerfully pointing out the town's hotspots. They ended up in Jubilee's favourite maltshop, drinking milkshakes and regaling each other with amusing tales. Kristi had found everyone remarkably easy to get on with and extremely welcoming, even Psylocke, whom Jubilee had confessed to regarding as creepy. She had enjoyed the day immensely and would not be sad to do it again.

She finished dressing and eyed herself critically in the mirror. Well, it was hardly an X-Men uniform but, until her official student uniform arrived, it would have to do.

She left her room and made her way down to the kitchen, where she brewed coffee and set to frying bacon and eggs. The mansion seemed quiet around her, but three used coffee mugs on the drainer gave silent witness that someone was up and about.

Betsy and Rogue made an appearance just as she was serving up a generous helping of bacon and eggs for herself. Both were in uniform. Kristi's mouth almost fell open at the sight of Betsy's uniform, which seemed to boast more flesh than material and she wondered how the woman dare go out in public wearing it. Rogue was dressed more conservatively in a yellow and green body suit, which covered her from head to foot. She was also wearing a short brown leather jacket and was carrying a pair of gloves.

"Mornin', sugah! Sleep well?" Rogue asked, brightly, heading for the coffee pot.

"Like a log," replied Kristi, with a grin. She waved a hand in the general direction of the cooker. "There's bacon warming under the grill and eggs in the pan. Help yourself!"

"My, this girl sure is domesticated!" Rogue grabbed a plate and began loading it. "Want some, Betsy?"

"No, thank you. Just coffee. I can't train on a full stomach."

Kristi passed her the coffee pot and Betsy poured herself a mug, stirring in a splash of cream.

"So, sugah, lookin' forward to yer first trainin' session?" asked Rogue, hooking a chair from under the table with her foot and sitting down.

Kristi shook her head. "No. Not really. To be brutally honest, I'm scared witless."

"Aw, there ain't nothing to it, honey! You'll be fine. Just remember we've all had ta face the danger room alone fer the first time at some stage in our trainin'. The Prof won't let anythin' bad happen ta ya."

Kristi wasn't too sure. "I'd feel a whole lot better if the training room wasn't called the danger room," she admitted, popping the last of her bacon into her mouth. "Whoever named it wasn't exactly trying to instill confidence, was he?"

Rogue laughed. Betsy, seated opposite, smiled into her coffee. "It's all in the mind, luv." She tapped her temple. "The danger room's just a room like any other, when all's said and done. Remember that and it can't hurt you."

"Why do I get the feeling you're both trying to lull me into a false sense of security?" grinned Kristi. She moved to the sink to rinse her mug and plate, unaware that Rogue and Psylocke were exchanging amused glances behind her.

As Kristi put her plate on the drainer, a tall man dressed in partial body armour and a trench-coat entered, twirling a playing card nonchalantly between his fingers. The first thing Kristi noticed about him was his eyes, which were a striking red on black, and he moved with the grace of an athlete.

He stopped short as he noticed Kristi, the playing card disappearing like magic, presumably up his sleeve. "Well, hello dere. Who's dis?" The New Orleans accent was unmistakable.

"Remy, this is Kristi. She's going to be training with us for a while." Betsy performed introductions while sipping at her coffee. "Kristi, meet Remy LeBeau, also known as Gambit. Resident trickshot and all round scoundrel."

"Scoundrel?" Remy put a hand to his heart, feigning hurt. "An' 'ere Gambit t'ought he was bringin' a touch of class to de outfit."

"You? Class?" Rogue snorted, loudly, but her eyes were sparkling.

Gambit moved around the table and took Kristi's hand, pressing a kiss to her fingers. "Enchante, chere."

Rogue grinned as Kristi's eyes widened in surprise. "Watch yerself there, sugah! Remy also fancies himself as a bit of a charmer where women are concerned!"

Remy raised an eyebrow. "Can Gambit 'elp it if all de women he meets are so beautiful? T'is fate, non?" He turned back to Kristi. "Gambit would be deeply honoured if you would allow him to escort you to de danger room."

Flustered, Kristi could only nod in reply. Gambit held out his arm for her to take and led the way out of the kitchen. Exchanging amused glances, Rogue and Psylocke fell into step behind them.

The mansion's lower levels couldn't have been more different from the upper. As they stepped out of the elevator, Kristi was confronted with shiny metal corridors, a far cry from the warm, wood paneled ones of the living quarters upstairs. Doors adorned with a stylized X logo led off at intervals, hinting at mysterious interiors. Kristi was hard pressed to keep from goggling as they made their way to the danger room.

Assuming the role of attentive guide, Gambit kept up a running commentary as they walked, pointing out the doors to the med-lab and the war room and the corridor that led to the X-Men's private jet. Kristi was grateful for the information, but found the way that he constantly referred to himself in the third person a mite confusing. Along with his accent, she realized that his style of speech would probably take a while to get used to.

Jubilee and another X-Man were already waiting for them as Gambit and his entourage approached the danger room's main entrance. Jubilee rolled her eyes dramatically as she noticed Kristi on the Cajun's arm and tossed her companion a disgusted glance. Her companion merely shrugged by way of reply.

"Stakin' yer claim, Gumbo?" the X-Man asked, as the group drew near.

"Merely makin' our newest member feel welcome, mon ami," replied Gambit, easily. "T'is only polite, non?"

The X-Man shrugged. "If yer say so."

"Don't you pay Wolverine no mind, sugah," offered Rogue, helpfully, to Kristi. "He's just kinda tetchy in the mornin's."

Kristi jumped. Wolverine? She turned as Gambit released her hand to begin tapping buttons on a pad near the danger room entrance, studying the X-Man called Wolverine intently, her curiosity piqued. He wasn't much taller than she was, but the body beneath the yellow and blue uniform was all muscle. Those muscles now rippled as he moved to lean against the wall, folding his arms and drawing one foot up to place it on the wall behind him, as he responded to something Jubilee had just said. His mask was down, revealing a face that was more rugged than handsome and his black hair swept up into crests at either side of his head, giving him a strangely animalistic appearance. Despite his seemingly relaxed posture, he held himself with all the confidence of a man who knew how to defend himself, and could do it well.

Kristi swallowed, remembering the news report. Dangerous? They didn't know the half of it …. and yet ….. there was …… something ……

She jumped, stepping back slightly in surprise. Had he just winked at her? Kristi suddenly realized she must have been staring and turned away, coughing slightly to cover her embarrassment. She was relieved to see Professor Xavier and Storm coming down the corridor towards them, the latter dressed in an eye-catching black uniform, her hair held back by an elaborate head-dress. Hoping that no one could see her flushed cheeks, she waved a greeting to Ororo.

"Ah, good, you're all here." Xavier nodded a general greeting. "We have a lot to do this morning, so let's get started. Wildstar, you're with me for the moment."

He started to turn his wheelchair, but Gambit's hand on his arm halted him momentarily. "Wait, Professor. Cyclops and Phoenix, dey are not here. Are dey not joinin' us?"

Xavier cleared his throat, somewhat apprehensively. "Not this morning, Gambit. I have sent them into the field to check on a contact I received through Cerebro two days ago."

"What kind of contact, Professor? Anything serious?"

"I hope not, Elizabeth." Xavier glanced briefly at Wolverine before continuing. "However, I have reason to believe that Sabretooth has surfaced once more."

"Sabretooth?!"

Kristi jumped once again at a sharp metallic 'snikt' from behind her, then Wolverine was pushing forward, three metal claws protruding from each hand. She gasped as he confronted Xavier, his whole body stance screaming defiance.

"What the hell do ya think yer playin' at, Chuck? Sabretooth's mine! Ya shoulda sent me!"

"Wolvie! Calm down!" Jubilee was at his side, her hand on his arm. Everyone else seemed frozen in place.

"The attitude you are currently displaying is precisely the reason why I could not send you to investigate a contact of this nature, Wolverine." Xavier seemed unperturbed by the fact that one set of the X-Man's claws were only inches from his face. "You constantly let your instincts rule your head. While this isn't necessarily a bad point, it is entirely the wrong attitude to take with Sabretooth, a fact you have discovered to your cost time after time. I truly believe that a confrontation between yourself and Sabretooth at this time would prove disastrous, both for yourself and the team."

"Bull!" Wolverine was not convinced. He refused to back down, the muscles on his neck standing out as his lips pulled back in a snarl, revealing sharp canines. For his part, Xavier matched him stare for stare, even when Wolverine began to growl low in his throat, a sound that made Kristi's hair stand on end.

Jubilee pulled persistently at his arm, putting herself dangerously close to the claws. "Wolvie? "Wolvie! Stop it now, the Professor's right." Another tug and he looked down at her, the growl ceasing. "Calm down now, Wolvie. You don't have to prove anything to anyone here. We all know you can take Sabretooth, but the Prof's just trying to keep everyone out of harm's way. Think, Wolvie! Don't do something you'll regret later."

Wolverine held her gaze for several seconds, then looked back to the Professor, sounding a low warning growl. Then suddenly his claws retracted with a 'snakt' that was loud in the silent corridor.

"I can't say I agree with yer decision, Chuck. Sabretooth's mine an' yer know it. But I'll bide my time. Fer now." So saying, Wolverine turned and punched the danger room door lock with a fist. As the door opened, he tugged his mask into place and strode purposefully inside.

Jubilee breathed out a heartfelt sigh of relief. "Well, that was a bit intense!" She looked towards the danger room door. "I'd better go make sure he's okay. You know how annoyed Hank gets when there's claw marks in the walls!" She hurried off.

Kristi let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Is he always that volatile?" she asked no one in particular. "One minute he was fine and the next ….." She shrugged, lost for words.

"Volatile, chere? Dat was not'in'! Just wait till de Wolverine really ticked off 'bout somet'in'!"

"Remy, stop that! You're frightening her." Ororo stepped forward and smiled encouragingly at Kristi. "Do not let this first encounter colour your opinion of Wolverine, Kristi. He is cut from a rather short fuse, but fortunately Jubilee has a knack for calming him down, and there is none better to have at your side during battle."

"X-Men! Time is wasting!" Xavier regained control of the situation. "Storm, please inform Wolverine that I will speak to him about his outburst later. For now, there is training to be done. Prepare yourselves!"

If anyone in a wheelchair could be said to stalk, Professor Xavier gave a fine impression of it as he propelled his chair away from the group towards the danger room control booth. Kristi hurried to catch up with him as the X-Men regrouped for their date with danger.

oooOOOooo

The danger room programme had only been running for fifteen minutes and already Kristi felt as though she had fallen into her worst nightmare. On Xavier's command, the room had literally come alive, the very walls themselves sprouting weird and wonderful instruments of death and destruction. Small spiked balls which floated around the room and exploded on contact, deadly gas, laser trip-lines to snag the unwary flyer, tilting floor panels and sonic cannons. All this and more was thrown at the X-Men within the room. And yet they still lived! Kristi couldn't believe how this was possible. Any one of the tests could have downed one or more of the team at any given time, yet they overcome it all with ease, either solo or by relying on teamwork. It was truly impressive, yet Kristi was dreading her time in the room. She seriously doubted she would survive the experience.

She suddenly gasped as eight, four inch blades whipped out of the wall and headed straight for Gambit. He didn't seem to have noticed them, as he was busy helping Storm dispatch a large buzz-saw handed robot which seemed intent on personally decimating the pair of them. But then, a shout from Jubilee alerted him to the danger. Quick as a flash, he released four kinetically charged playing cards, taking out four of the blades. Before he could reach for more cards, Jubilee gestured dramatically.

"S'okay, Gambit! I've got them! Watch this!"

She unleashed her fireworks, the charges ricocheting from one blade to another, taking them down each one in turn. Unfortunately, however, the last one was merely deflected, not destroyed. It careered wildly across the room, slicing one horn from Wolverine's mask before embedding itself in the wall.

"Dammit, Jubilee! How many times have I told ya not to go fer the grandstand play?" Wolverine was clearly annoyed with his young charge and would probably have said more, but was too busy dealing with two swing mounted flame throwers. A helping downpour and lightening strike from Storm dispatched one of them in quick order. Wolverine trashed the other himself by slipping beneath its flame trail and coming up from behind with claws flashing.

By the time the training session ended two hours later, Kristi's heart was beating wildly. Even just watching the team train had made her hands shake and her breath come in short uneasy gasps. Then Professor Xavier said the words she had been dreading.

"Okay, Wildstar, it's your turn now."

Her feet felt like lead as she made her way down to the danger room's main entrance. After seeing what the room was capable of she was more than ready to hightail it back to her room and claim a migraine. But she knew this was the coward's way out and, if she was ever going to master her powers and become an X-Man, she knew she was going to have to conquer her fears.

The danger room doors opened as she approached and the others began to file out. Sensing her unease, Gambit flashed her a wide smile. "Not'in' to it, chere! Easy as pie!"

"Move it, Gumbo! Yer blockin' up the door."

Gambit treated Wolverine to a scathing glance, but moved obligingly into the corridor. Wolverine made to stalk past but then paused and, unexpectedly, reached out to pat her arm before continuing on his way. Kristi stared after him with her mouth open and totally missed Jubilee's cheery thumbs up signal to her.

"Wildstar, if you would please move into the room? The programme will not work when the doors are open."

Kristi blinked as Professor Xavier's voice broke into her thoughts and she realized she was standing in the open doorway, still staring after Wolverine's retreating back. She frowned at her own lapse in concentration and hesitantly entered the danger room proper, staring around at the metal walls, warily, as the doors slid closed behind her, sealing off her retreat.

"Please do not be frightened, Wildstar." Xavier's voice issued from hidden speakers, directed from the control booth set high above the floor. "You will not be allowed to tackle the room at its full capacity until I am sure you can handle it. What you are going to do today is run through a few simple exercises, designed to test and evaluate your abilities. We will begin with your flying abilities. Do not be alarmed – the room is about to change."

There was a slight pause and then the danger room hummed into life, producing hoops, bars, low level laser nets and perches, all designed to test the ability of a flyer. It was like an airborne gymnasium. Kristi felt heartened and allowed herself a grin. This she felt she could deal with.

"Ready when you are, Wildstar."

Kristi took a deep breath and embraced her power fully, the room taking on a golden hue as she looked out through the glittering corona that surrounded her body. Bracing herself, she prepared to fly ……..

**Next!** The X-Men go on the alert! Sabretooth is on the prowl!


	4. Of Trees and War Rooms

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the X-Men - Marvel does. I just take them out to play with every now and then!

Thanks, angeleyes46, for your review! I hope y'all enjoy the latest chapter!

**Of Trees and War Rooms**

"Thank you, Wildstar. That will be all for today. You've done well. Very well indeed."

Kristi powered down, leaning over, with her hands on her knees, to catch her breath. She was tired – she couldn't deny that – but she was also extremely pleased with herself. She had faced the danger room – she had taken all it could throw at her, and she had survived! True, this was only her first training session and the Professor had carefully monitored the exercises, demanding nothing of her that she couldn't safely handle, but she still felt a tremendous sense of achievement.

And how had the Professor known she could use her powers that way? She straightened, looking at her hands in amazement, as though expecting to find the answer written there. She had always known her powers had destructive capabilities – leastways, that's what had always happened when she'd used them in the past. The trail of destruction her parents had to cope with gave testament to that. But somehow the Professor had rightly guessed that she could use them as an offensive force as well as a destructive one. With his gentle coaching, she had found she could thrust objects out of her way – effectively removing them from the immediate field of battle without destroying them. She smiled, remembering the trail of battered battle droids she had left in her wake as she had moved across the danger room, down but not destroyed. Knowing that her power wasn't quite as destructive as she'd first thought, and that she could actually control it, made her feel a whole lot better about herself.

Professor Xavier had disappeared from the control booth above her. Probably heading for his next class. Or lunch, she amended as she glanced at her watch. It was almost one o' clock. As if this realization sparked a reaction, her stomach growled loudly and she made an instant decision. There was just enough time for a quick shower and a change of clothes and then she would grab something to eat before her next class with Ororo.

Finding her way back to the elevator was not easy – all the corridors looked the same, and she wished the Professor had not departed so quickly so that he could guide her. But eventually, after detouring back to the danger room entrance once more to regain her bearings, the elevator was found and it deposited her on the ground floor of the mansion proper.

Her earlier assumption seemed to have been correct – there was a buzz of gentle conversation coming from the dining room down the hall, indicating that most, if not all, of the residents were enjoying lunch. Torn between her desire to eat and the need for a shower, she hesitated a moment, then moved off resolutely in the direction of the stairs. _You're hot and sticky,_ her brain told her in no uncertain terms. _Shower first, then eat._

The shower felt good on her skin after the physical and mental exertion of the last two hours, easing out the kinks in her neck that she didn't even realize she'd been holding. Afterwards, she toweled her hair just enough to remove the excess water and left it free to dry naturally, knowing it would fall into its natural shoulder length curls without any coaxing on her part. She dressed in a comfortable pair of sweats and a loose top and set off to find food, hoping that the other students hadn't already wolfed everything down.

The mansion's front door was open as she stepped into the hallway, letting in a shaft of early February sunshine and a chilly breeze. Moving to close it before all the heat in the mansion was sucked out, a sudden impulse prompted her to step out onto the porch where she closed the door behind her and breathed in the sharp tang of a crisp February day.

The sky above her was a brilliant blue, across which large fluffy white clouds trawled leisurely. A sudden impulse had her embracing her power and she bit her lip, considering. _Dare she?_ She had never flown outside before – all that empty sky above her looked daunting. But her successful danger room session had made her bold – she wanted to experience life to the full and do things she'd never dared, or had the opportunity to do before. She closed her eyes, mustering up the courage and exulting in the feel of her power running through her. Then, before the thought of all that open sky above her could put her off, she lifted off slowly from the ground.

She didn't go high – just high enough to clear the treetops without crashing into them. It felt strange to fly without a roof over her head and also wonderfully liberating. She executed a lazy roll, simply because she could, and laughed at the sheer joy of it. It was the first time she had been able to enjoy her powers without fear of discovery and she felt alive and free, and more than a little giddy.

Her flight had taken her towards the trees at the rear of the house and a sudden flash of movement attracted her attention. Intrigued, she executed a slow turn and dropped down for a closer look.

Rogue, still in uniform, looked around as Kristi landed a little too heavily behind her. "Oh, hey, sugah! You okay there?"

"I'm fine, thanks." Kristi smiled, ruefully. "Just not very good at landing yet!"

"It'll come in time, hon. Finish your trainin'? How'd it go?"

Kristi grinned. "It went great! Just one session and I feel so much more confident in myself already. This time last week I wouldn't have even considered flying alone outside."

"Ah told ya it'd be okay, didn't ah?" Rogue smiled, teasingly. "The Professor wants us ta develop our powers, not kill us off in the first week."

"I was nervous," responded Kristi, with a shrug. "Didn't know what to expect." She shivered as a cool breeze rippled through the trees. "It's kinda cold out here, Rogue. Whatcha doing?"

"A bit o' high maintenance gardenin', sugah!" She gestured to a tree behind her, which was not budding like those around it. "Several o' the trees on the estate didn't make it through the winter, so we're cuttin' 'em down before they become a danger to those around 'em. Sorta like thinnin' out seedlin's!"

Kristi latched onto the one word which had sounded odd. "We?" she asked, looking around.

"Well, sure, honey. Wolverine's here too."

It was only then that Kristi noticed the other X-Man standing a little way off in the trees, observing her and Rogue intently. At mention of his name, Wolverine moved forward to join them, but Kristi got the distinct impression that if Rogue hadn't drawn attention to him he would have stayed put and she would never have known he was there. Unlike Rogue, he had changed out of his uniform and was now wearing a pair of faded jeans, a blue checked flannel shirt and a leather jacket. A battered brown cowboy hat was pulled down low over his eyes and a puff of blue smoke came from under it as he exhaled the smoke from a cigar.

Kristi tensed, remembering the scene at the danger room – the way those sharp metal claws had slid from his hands. She couldn't deny that Wolverine's unpredictability scared her, but he was an X-Man and for that reason alone she was willing to put her fear of him behind her.

She stuck out her hand as he approached. "Hi! We weren't properly introduced at the danger room. I'm Kristi Marsters – Wildstar."

Wolverine hesitated a moment before taking her hand and shaking it. "Welcome ta the X-Men," he said, drily. "I hope ya survive the experience."

"I intend to." Wolverine's gruff tone didn't faze her, in fact she had expected it. But she was quick to notice that he hadn't responded to her greeting with a name, be it codename or otherwise. Didn't he trust her? It shocked her to discover that the answer to that question actually mattered to her a great deal.

"So, Wolvie, any more trees back thataway?" Rogue broke into Kristi's thoughts.

"Nope. This is the last one." Wolverine indicated the tree that Rogue had already pointed out to Kristi.

"Good." Rogue nodded in satisfaction. "All this exercise is workin' up an appetite. Hope there's somethin' left ta eat when we get in."

"If there isn't, I could rustle up a steak an' a brew?"

"You're on!"

As they spoke, they moved into position at either side of the dead tree. Kristi looked around for their cutting equipment and frowned to herself when she could see none. She was just about to comment on it when Wolverine unsheathed his claws. Turning slightly to hide the blush that coloured her cheeks, Kristi realized she should have known better and was glad she hadn't spoken up and made a fool of herself. It was hard to remember that she was now among people who had no need for such mundane items as saws and axes.

Two swipes from Wolverine's lethal blades was all it took to sever the tree. Rogue caught it as it toppled, leveled it out and eased it gently to the ground, in a remarkable show of strength.

She straightened, brushing dust from her gloved hands. "Well, that's that. We'll just leave it there for Cyclops to deal with when he gets back."

"You want the trees destroyed?" asked Kristi, hesitantly. "I think I could do that, if you'd care to let me try."

"Sure, honey, why not?" Rogue stepped away from the tree and gestured for Kristi to go ahead. "Give it your best shot."

Kristi let her power flow into her, took aim and let loose at the tree. It exploded spectacularly, with a sound like a soft 'whump'.

"Nice show," commented Wolverine, drily, brushing bark fragments from his jacket. "Think ya could cut down on the debris next time though, rookie?"

"Details, details," tutted Kristi, reluctantly powering down again. It felt so good to be able to really cut loose – addictive almost. She shuddered. That was a road she definitely did not want to go down.

Rogue slapped her on the back, almost knocking her over. "Is there no end ta this girl's talents? What else can ya do, sugah, besides cook an' blow trees halfway ta next Sunday?"

Kristi hesitated, seriously considering Rogue's question. "Well, I can change a tyre," she offered, shyly.

Wolverine laughed suddenly, throwing an arm companionably around Rogue's shoulders. "I like this girl, Rogue! She's small, not much ta look at, but she's got spirit!"

"An' you would know, ah suppose?" Rogue tipped his cowboy hat and slipped out from under his arm. "There are more trees waitin' ta be whumped, sugah, an' time's wastin'. Lead the way."

Wolverine righted his hat with a growl and plunged into the trees, trailing Kristi and Rogue in his wake.

Kristi had just destroyed her second tree when a low flying jet thundered overhead. She peered up through the branches. "What the hell was that?"

"That's the Blackbird. Probably Cyke n' Jeannie returnin'"

Something in Wolverine's tone made Rogue glance at her team-mate. "Ya want ta find out what they have ta say about Sabretooth, don't ya? You go ahead, Wolvie. Kristi n' me, we'll finish up here an'meet y'all later."

Wolverine tossed her a glance, then disappeared into the trees with scarcely a sound.

Rogue turned to Kristi with a smile. "He'd have gone anyway, but it was easier that way!" She paused then, her eyes looking strangely unfocussed. A moment later she grinned at her companion. "That was the Professor. He wants us ta join him in the war room in an hour. Looks like he has news." She clapped a hand to Kristi's shoulder. "Come on, sugah! The sooner we get finished here the sooner we can join the others in the war room. Ah've got a feelin' that if ol' Wolvie doesn't hear what he wants ta hear, there'll be fireworks!"

oooOOOooo

Despite taking their time getting to the war room, the proceedings still hadn't started by the time Rogue and Kristi entered. Rogue immediately took a vacant seat next to Betsy, but Kristi hesitated in the doorway, unsure whether she really ought to be there or not. After all, she was only a student, and there were no other students present. Maybe she would only be allowed at meetings after she had graduated? She bit her lip uncertainly, wondering if she could slip away without anyone noticing.

Remy looked up then and spotted her standing by the door. He flashed her a grin and patted the empty seat beside him. "Come, chere. Come sit by Remy an' keep him company."

Kristi smiled at him gratefully and slipped into the vacant place.

There was no mistaking the tension and anxiety being generated by those seated around the circular table. Only Professor Xavier looked calm and confident as he looked around at his assembled X-Men. His gaze lingered the longest on Wolverine, who was leaning against the wall near the door, smoking up the air around him with yet another cigar. Of all the X-Men, he looked the most tense, giving an admirable impression of a man only just holding himself in check. Kristi swallowed hard. Whoever this Sabretooth character was, he must be someone formidable if he had the whole team worked up like this. They weren't exactly pushovers themselves.

Kristi suddenly realized the Professor was speaking and forced herself to concentrate. He was asking a young man, someone Kristi hadn't met yet, to give a report of his findings. The man was wearing a red tinted visor over his eyes, and this puzzled her for a moment, until she gasped in recognition. She had seen him on TV! This was Cyclops, founding member of the X-Men and current leader of the team. While the X-Men were hardly ever out of the news programmes these days, details of the team's current line up were always sketchy at best. But one name was never missing. Cyclops.

"I really don't think you're going to like what we have to report, Professor," Cyclops was saying. "Jean and I found no trace of Sabretooth, or any evidence that he has ever been in the vicinity at all."

A low growl came from Wolverine. The sound sent a shiver down Kristi's spine, but the Professor ignored him. "There was no evidence at all?"

"None, Professor." A pretty redhead seated next to Cyclops spoke up next. "I've scanned up to a fifteen kilometer radius, but there is no memory of Sabretooth in any of the minds I could reach. If he is out there, he's being very stealthy."

"Is dere any possibility dat your contact was false, Professor?" asked Remy.

Xavier hesitated a moment, thinking this through. "The contact was brief, Gambit, but strong. I have no doubt at all that it was Sabretooth. I have 'felt' his evil mind before. It is not something I will ever forget."

"Nor I," commented Betsy. She shuddered, remembering the time Sabretooth had broken into the mansion and almost killed her. If Storm and Wolverine had not come to her aid in time, she knew she would not have lived to tell the tale. As it was, it had taken her months to recover from the attack, but she had well and truly earned her place on the team because of it. "However," she continued, "we must not forget that Sabretooth is adept at keeping his thoughts on a primal level to avoid telepathic detection, much the same as Wolverine can do."

"If that's so, why did the Prof pick him up briefly with Cerebro?" asked Jubilee, with a frown. "Sabretooth isn't stupid. He wouldn't go to all the bother of keepin' his thoughts primal, only to drop it long enough for the Prof to get a contact." She folded her arms decisively and blew a large bubble gum bubble into the following silence.

"He wants us ta know he's out there." Wolverine spoke for the first time, his voice low and steady. "He wants us ta waste our time runnin' around after phantom contacts an' jumpin' at our own shadows. Then, when he's good an' ready, he'll attack. Ya shoulda sent me out after him, Chuck. Pointless sendin' Cyke an' Jeannie – they can't track from the ground. I coulda tracked him ta his lair an' the whole affair would be over an' done with by now."

"Wolverine, I have been through all this with you before." Xavier sighed, but still managed to maintain control of the situation. "Sabretooth is the last person I would want you to confront at this time."

"They hate the sight of each other," piped up Jubilee, cheerily.

"Precisely," continued Xavier. "I don't know the origin of this hatred between you, Wolverine, but when you are near each other you both lose all semblance of reason. By sending out Cyclops and Phoenix, I merely wished to confirm the Cerebro contact and, if possible, ascertain why Sabretooth is in the area at all. I'm sorry to have to say it, Wolverine, but your methods would have achieved nothing."

"You'll pussyfoot around, Chuck, until Sabretooth walks right in here an' bites ya on the ass!" growled Wolverine, in reply.

"Wolverine, I'm warning you for the last time ….."

"Dammit, Professor, I know the man!" Wolverine slammed his fist into the wall, making several people around the table jump. "Sabretooth never does anythin' without a reason. If he's here, then he's after somethin' an' I'm bettin' the somethin' he's after is right here, at the mansion."

"You?" offered Rogue, helpfully.

Wolverine nodded. "Possibly. Most likely, considerin' that him an' me go way back. But he could also be after Psylocke. She beat him up bad durin' that fiasco with Omega Red a few months back an' Sabretooth could never stand the idea of a skirt getting' the best of him. No offense," he added, to Psylocke.

"None taken," Betsy shot back.

"So you're saying that Sabretooth is here for revenge?" asked Ororo, entering the conversation for the first time.

"Seems that way t'me, darlin'," Wolverine blew out a large cloud of smoke, clearly enjoying himself now that he had center stage. "Sabretooth hates bein' humiliated, an' the X-Men have trashed his sorry ass more times than I can mention. Hell, even Jubilee's had a go!"

"Never again!" Jubilee shook her head, vehemently. "That's one big, mean scary guy! Emphasis on scary!"

"So, your point being, mon ami, is dat de Sabretooth is gon' take us out to save face?"

"That's the way I see it, Cajun. One or all'a us. Either way, the X-Men lose."

"What are we going to do, Professor?" Jubilee looked worried now. Wolverine moved to stand behind her chair, placing a protective hand on her shoulder.

"Rest assured that the X-Men will not sit back and allow Sabretooth to walk all over them."

Xavier looked pleased to be in control of his meeting once more. "Even before Wolverine brought his suspicions about Sabretooth's mission to light, I had already made plans to scale up the mansion security. This place is now locked down so tight that a mouse would have a hard time getting through undetected. We will also schedule extra patrols around the grounds and perimeter borders as an added precaution. Cyclops, will you take charge of that, please?"

"Will do. Professor."

"You'd better contact Hank, Warren and Kitty. I don't want them coming home and walking right into an ambush. Also, none of the current students are to go into town alone. I would prefer them to confine their activities to the mansion and grounds only but, if they must go into town, I want them to be accompanied by at least two senior X-Men at all times. This rule also holds for everyone here. If you have to leave the grounds, do so in pairs. Or more, if you can. I know this is compromising your freedom, X-Men, but I would rather have you all safe than in the clutches of that madman. Any questions?"

There were none, so Xavier began to push his wheelchair away from the table. "In that case, our meeting here is concluded." There was a general flurry of movement as people got up to leave. Xavier hesitated as Wolverine made to move past him. "Wolverine, I don't want you taking it into your head to try and track Sabretooth down. I don't want to have to ground you to the mansion, but I will if I have to. Understand?"

Wolverine's face grew dark as he considered Xavier's words, but he finally nodded and stalked out of the room.

Kristi took Gambit's arm as he was about to rise from his chair. "Remy, who, or what, is Sabretooth? Why is everyone so spooked?"

"With good reason, chere. De Sabretooth, he is a killer, pure and simple. Remy has only fought him de one time, but it is an experience Remy would not wish to repeat." He jerked a thumb towards Professor Xavier, who was deep in discussion with Cyclops and the redhead, presumably planning the security arrangements. "If you want to know more, chere, you should as de Professor. Or de Wolverine. He knows more about de Sabretooth dan Remy."

"Okay. Thanks, Remy."

"You're welcome, chere." He winked at her with those devilish eyes of his and left, calling out to Rogue to hold the elevator. Kristi was just about to follow when she noticed that Cyclops had finished his conversation with the Professor and was now heading in her direction, followed by the redhead.

He stuck out his hand, smiling warmly. "You must be Kristi. Welcome to Xavier's. Sorry we couldn't be here to greet you when you arrived, but it's been a bit intense the last few days."

"That's okay," said Kristi, with a smile. "Everyone has been very kind."

"I'm Phoenix," said the redhead, offering her hand. "But you can call me Jean. This is my fiancé, Scott, also known as Cyclops.

"I hope this Sabretooth thing hasn't put you off," continued Scott, with a frown. "We're not usually on full alert around the mansion, but with this particular guy it pays to be careful. With any luck, it'll all blow over in a few days and things can get back to normal. As normal as can be for the X-Men, at any rate."

"It's okay, Scott, you don't have to apologize on my account," Kristi assured him. "When I came here, I really didn't expect to be sitting around drinking cups of coffee all day. I'll be fine."

Jean laughed. "I guess you will at that!"

Scott took his fiancee's arm. "I hope you will excuse us, Kristi, but duty calls. The Professor wants the new security measures in place by nightfall and we're wasting daylight. Maybe we could talk some more tonight, after dinner?"

Kristi nodded. "Yes, I'd like that."

"See you later, then."

Scott and his fiancée strode from the war room arm in arm, leaving Kristi alone with her thoughts. She sighed and shook her head. Only three days with the X-Men and already they had a major crisis looming. One thing was for sure, life with the X-Men was definitely not going to be boring!

**NEXT! **A chance meeting with Wolverine gives Kristi much to think about!


	5. Soul Attraction

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men - I wish I did. *Sigh*

**Soul Attraction**

News of the mansion's semi-lockdown didn't faze the students in the slightest much to Kristi's amazement, considering how news of Sabretooth's alleged appearance had spooked the senior members of the team. However, of the six students currently in residence – not including herself – only two, Sam Guthrie and his sister, Paige, had prior knowledge of the mutant in question and, while they were understandably cautious, they had every confidence that Xavier and his X-Men would keep them all safe.

Being somewhat accustomed to strange occurrences and super powered villains seemingly popping out of the woodwork, the other students found the news that they were to be accompanied on trips into town by members of the senior team of far more importance that the prospect of being stalked by a savage mutant who may not be actually there at all. While they appreciated the need for safety, some of the younger students feared that their elders would cramp their style, especially if they were unlucky enough to be paired with Wolverine or Psylocke. Betsy could be okay at a pinch, if she allowed herself to relax a bit, and they figured they could cope with this if they absolutely had to. But Wolverine ….. ? Collective sighs of relief were breathed when Wolverine announced that he'd rather face ten Sabretooths than "babysit a buncha flamin' kids".

School security was the priority, so the X-Men's training sessions ceased for the duration, in order to free up individual team members for patrols and telepathic surveillance. The student's training schedules continued without letup, however, as those on the teaching staff scheduled their patrols around their classes, ensuring that school activities still ran smoothly with the minimum of disturbance.

Several of the older students who were further along in their training, were allowed to accompany a senior X-Man on border patrols, notably Sam Guthrie aka Cannonball and Robert 'Bobby' Drake aka Iceman. Kristi was surprised, and secretly delighted, when her name was also added to that list of responsible students, despite her lack of training, and she wondered what she had done to gain Professor Xavier's favour so. However, never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, she was determined not to let the Professor down after he had placed so much faith in her, and was so nervous by the time she flew her first patrol with Storm that she could hardly fly in a straight line. Storm, sensing her partner's apprehension, slowed her flight to match hers and sent a guiding breeze to aid Kristi's co-ordination and bolster her confidence, for which she was extremely grateful. By the time the patrol was over, she was once again flying under her own steam and was relieved when the Professor still possessed enough faith in her to allow the assisted patrols to continue, despite her initial hiccup.

Little did she know that the Professor saw great potential in her abilities, and already saw her as a valuable asset to the team, should she be persuaded to join after her graduation. In his opinion, allowing her to fly the patrols provided valuable experience in addition to her Danger Room sessions and, as long as she always had a senior X-Man along in case she got into difficulties, was quite happy to allow her to continue.

In addition to the scheduled patrols, Wolverine also took to making solo forays around the mansion grounds at random times both day and night, figuring that Sabretooth might try to slip between the regular patrols if he spotted a pattern. He was always careful not to cross the perimeter boundaries and thus incur the wrath of Xavier but, as was Wolverine's nature, he cut it as fine as he dare without actually leaving the grounds, to give himself the best chance of picking up a scent. Kristi wasn't sure whether he expected to find anything or not, but it was obvious that he was spoiling for a fight. Kristi almost found herself feeling sorry for Sabretooth, whoever he was, if he happened to stumble across Wolverine while he was itching to sink his claws into something.

By the end of the second week, no trace of Sabretooth had been found. The border patrols had sighted nothing and the telepaths had picked up no further contacts, despite Professor Xavier utilising Cerebro to boost his abilities. Even Wolverine was forced to admit that he'd picked up no trace of a scent on any of his solo forays.

Beginning to suspect that the Cerebro systems were at fault as Gambit had suggested, Xavier decided to have Hank run a full diagnostic on his return from New York. In the meantime, he said nothing of his suspicions to the other X-Men, still confused by the strength of the contact he had received – it had felt so real, so totally Sabretooth. If there was even the remotest chance that Sabretooth was actually in the vicinity, he could ill afford to reduce the security measures. And so the patrols continued.

During Kristi's third border patrol with Rogue, the weather took a nasty turn. The sky had been an ominous shade of grey all morning and, only ten minutes into their patrol, it began to snow. The temperature plummeted, and the gentle snowfall rapidly became a blizzard. Rogue's power gave her some protection against the cold, but Kristi was not so fortunate. Her jeans and jacket rapidly lost their warmth and her teeth chattered uncontrollably. Not wishing to shirk their duties they diligently completed their patrol and returned to the mansion cold, soaked through and sporting foul moods. Being teased by Jubilee as they trudged upstairs, leaving snowy wet footprints in their wake, did not improve their tempers. Long hot baths, however, restored their spirits somewhat, and put them in a better frame of mind for joining the rest of the residents for dinner in the dining room, where Rogue lamented at length over the stupidity of having a weather witch on the team who didn't fix the weather when it turned nasty. They spent the remainder of the evening snuggled in comfy chairs in the den, enjoying the warmth from the roaring fire and listening to the wind blow the snow against the windows. They silently thanked their lucky stars that they weren't taking the next patrol – that dubious honour had gone to Wolverine and Psylocke.

The next time Kristi patrolled with Rogue, the weather seemed to be trying to make up for its previous lack of manners. The sky was a glorious shade of blue and the sun shone brightly, sparkling off the remains of the recent snowfall. The air was cold but clear. It was too nice a day for rushing, so they flew a leisurely patrol, enjoying the sunshine and the fresh air. Kristi closed her eyes, revelling in the feel of the wind in her face and hair. When she opened them again, Rogue was watching her, smiling. For a moment, Kristi felt as though she'd been caught in the act of doing something childish and she grinned back, guiltily, but then Rogue turned on her back and executed a lazy roll, moving her arms as though swimming gracefully through the air. Kristi laughed, now understanding that, for all their seniority and training, the X-Men were only human after all and exulted in the use of their powers the same way she did. Even the vaunted X-Men had to let their hair down every now and then!

The view over Breakstone Lake was so spectacular that it almost took Kristi's breath away. They flew slowly along the cliff-line, admiring the way the sun sparkled off the surface of the water. Then Rogue moved nearer, attracting Kristi's attention. She pointed down to the ground far below.

"Look! There's Wolvie's jeep. Let's go down an' see what he's up ta."

Kristi nodded as Rogue began to describe a lazy arc down to the ground. Kristi followed more slowly. She hadn't been flying as long as Rogue and any drastic change in altitude or direction required a little more concentration.

Jubilee stopped the jeep and switched off the engine as her two team-mates landed in the roadway in front of the open topped vehicle. She waved, cheerily. "Hey, guys! Wolvie's giving me another driving lesson. How'm I doing?"

"Don't answer that!" Wolverine climbed out of his side of the jeep and walked to the front, where he leaned against the hood and reached into his jacket pocket for a cigar. Large clouds of blue smoke drifted out from beneath his cowboy hat as he lit it, shielding his match from the breeze with one hand. "Kid throws the damn jeep around so much she's makin' me car sick."

Kristi sensed there was a joke in there somewhere, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. Jubilee leaned over the steering wheel and blew a raspberry at the back of her partner's head as Kristi and Rogue moved nearer. "If someone who shall remain nameless had a decent car instead of a crappy old jeep, maybe I'd be able to drive better!"

"A bad workman blames his tools, Jubilee," quoted Wolverine, with a backwards glance at his young team-mate. "If ya hate the jeep that much, ya know what ta do about it."

"I bet I could drive real well in a car like Rogue's!" enthused Jubilee, ignoring Wolverine's disgusted snort. "Whaddaya say, Rogue? Can I take the sportique for a spin?"

"Oh, no, sugah, ah'm not lettin' ya anywhere near m'ah baby! D'ya think ah'm stupid, or somethin'?"

Jubilee pouted and then targeted Kristi. "Hey, Kristi! You'll let me drive your Mustang, won't you?"

"Well ….." Kristi frowned, desperately stalling for time. She didn't really want a learner driver behind the wheel of her beloved Mustang, and especially not an under-aged learner driver with questionable concentration skills, but how was she to tell Jubilee that without hurting her feelings?

"Face it, Jubilee, y'all is stuck with the jeep!" Rogue unwittingly came to Kristi's rescue. "No one in their right mind is gonna let ya behind the wheel o' their car."

"Thanks, Rogue, I appreciate that."

"Gee, sorry, Wolvie!"

Wolverine growled an incoherent response, turned slightly and his eyes locked on to Kristi's. She gasped as something like a jolt of pure electricity passed between them, setting her very soul afire. Something inside her seemed to pull outwards and then snap back, almost as though a connection had been made. In desperation, she tried to look away, but his gaze held her fast, like a rabbit caught in car headlights. She was aware that he was frowning at her, as though he could sense something too and she suddenly realized that her heart was beating fit to burst. Her head spun, dizzily, and a strange heat began to pulse along her veins. She took an involuntary step back. _What the hell's happening to me?_

Wolverine turned then, responding to something Jubilee had said and, as suddenly as that, the spell was broken. Kristi shook her head, distractedly, conscious of a strange buzzing in her ears. She looked around at the others, certain that someone must have noticed something strange pass between her and Wolverine, but Jubilee was blowing her trademark pink bubbles while nodding at something Rogue was saying and nothing seemed amiss. Wolverine flicked his eyes towards her briefly and she jerked, fearing a repeat of the earlier phenomenon, but this time it was only a glance and nothing strange occurred.

She worried at her lower lip, risking another glance at the gruff X-Man. What had just happened between her and Wolverine? Had he felt it too? She looked down at her hands, noticing for the first time that they were shaking. Was this normal or should she be worried? Another glance confirmed that Wolverine didn't seem unduly worried by what had just happened. Had she imagined it? But it had seemed so real – so intense.

Realizing that the others were going to notice something amiss if she didn't pull herself together, she made a valiant effort to school her thoughts into some form of coherence and turned back into the conversation. Jubilee was still arguing cars, gesturing wildly.

"What I can't understand is why Wolvie has to have an old jeep anyway. Why can't he have something decent? Like a Porsche? Or a Ferrari? Ooh, Wolvie, a Ferrari…..!" Her eyes shone at the thought of it.

Wolverine growled, shaking his head.

Rogue stepped nearer, leaning casually against the jeep's hood. "The way ah see it, sugah, is that everyone has a car ta suit their personalities. Kristi has a classic car, because she's a classy lady." Kristi inclined her head gratefully towards Rogue at this. "Ah drive a sports car because ah'm sporty an' fast. An' the jeep is …."

"Past it?" offered Jubilee, helpfully.

"Ah was about ta say rugged an' dependable, just like Wolverine."

Jubilee snorted.

Wolverine spat out the remains of his cigar and ground it underfoot. "When ya've all finished havin' yer fun, I'll remind ya that we're supposed ta be workin' here. You," he pointed at Kristi and Rogue, "are supposed to be flyin' a patrol. An' you," pointing this time at Jubilee, "are supposed ta be learnin' how ta drive, although I sometimes wonder why I waste my time."

"Don't let us hold ya up, Wolvie, we're outta here. Come on, Kristi."

Rogue lifted off gracefully into the air, gaining altitude quickly. Kristi braced herself to follow.

"Kristi?"

She turned at the sound of Wolverine's voice growling her name. "Yeah?"

"Don't forget ya have a self defence class with me tomorrow mornin' at nine sharp."

"I won't forget."

"Don't be late."

"I won't!"

Wolverine nodded once in satisfaction and folded his arms. Kristi took that as her invitation to leave and powered up, lifting off slowly and banking once airborne to follow Rogue. Wolverine watched them go, his eyes following Kristi in particular, still managing to pick her out in the distance when a normal man would have seen nothing but a speck in the sky. He frowned, remembering the jolt that had passed through him earlier, when his eyes met hers. Had she felt it too? Her heart rate had certainly quickened. And that buzzing in his ears …. It had gone now, but he could still remember what it had sounded like.

"Wolvie? Are you coming?"

Wolverine nodded and climbed back into the jeep, pushing all thoughts of the strange occurrence from his mind, to be mulled over later. "Alright, Jubilee. Start her up an' don't forget ta let the clutch out slowly this time. _**Slowly, Jubilee!**_ Geez!"

Jubilee squeaked as the jeep shot off like a rocket, then bucked as she stamped on the brake. "Yikes! Sorry! Y'know, it'd be a lot simpler if this thing was automatic …..!"

**Next!** Wolverine decides to put a theory to the test in the Danger Room!


	6. Wolverine's Test

Don't worry, folks, I haven't forgotten about Sabretooth! He'll be making an appearance in a very short while, and then all hell will break loose!!

**Wolverine's Test**

"Hey, Kristi, haven't you got a uniform yet?"

Kristi paused at the bottom of the stairs and looked down the corridor to see Jubilee and Paige trotting towards her from the direction of the dining room. She grinned. "Not yet. I wonder what's taking so long? I can't keep training in these." She gestured at her familiar ensemble of jeans and a T-shirt.

"Things have been somewhat hectic around here just lately," stated Paige, unnecessarily, as she and Jubilee joined Kristi at the foot of the stairs. "Someone's obviously forgotten about you. Maybe you should have a word with Jean?"

"How? I've hardly seen her since I got here," complained Kristi. "If she's not manning Cerebro, then she's off flying patrols with Scott in the Blackbird. Doesn't the woman ever sleep?"

"Hardly," grinned Jubilee, blowing a large bubble and expertly gathering it back into her mouth. "Since this Sabretooth thing started, most of the big hitters seem to be on a permanent adrenalin rush. Honestly, you'd think nothing ever happened around here the way they're so hyped. An' Wolvie's just itching for a fight."

"I know. I've noticed," agreed Kristi, with a nod.

"Look, me and Jubes, we've got a lesson with the Professor this morning. We'll mention your uniform afterwards, if you like," offered Paige, helpfully.

Kristi grinned. "That'd be great, Paige! Thanks! What lesson have you got?" she added, in interest.

"Physics." Paige pulled a face. Beside her, Jubilee rolled her eyes in silent agreement. "What about you?"

"Danger Room," replied Kristi. "My first self defence lesson with Wolverine."

"Yikes!"

"Speaking of which, I'd better get going. I don't want to be late. I'll catch you later, 'kay?"

"We'll save a seat for you at dinner," Paige informed her and then they were off, heading for the Professor's office and catching up with Rahne Sinclair at the door.

Kristi turned and took the elevator down to the lower levels. As she made her way to the Danger Room, she couldn't help feeling slightly nervous. This was a defence lesson with Wolverine after all, and the man was known for not going easy on his students. The bruises on Bobby from his last lesson proved it.

Despite being ten minutes early, she wasn't surprised to see Wolverine waiting for her, leaning against the wall, arms folded and ankles crossed.

He straightened as she approached and nodded. "Wildstar," he acknowledged.

"Hey," Kristi greeted him back. She almost flinched when his eyes met hers, but there was no sudden flash of electricity, no burning in her soul. She could almost conclude she had imagined the whole thing yesterday, if it wasn't for the strange feeling of butterflies swooping around in her stomach.

Wolverine studied her for a moment, as if sensing something, then turned and punched the Danger Room's door panel, stepping back slightly as the doors rumbled open. He stalked inside with predatory attitude. Kristi hung back a moment, then scurried after him.

"I thought this was a self defence lesson?"

"It is. Why?"

Kristi indicated his attire, jeans and a black tee, with a red checked flannel shirt open over the top. "You're not in uniform."

Wolverine shrugged. "What I'm wearin' is fine fer what I have in mind."

"Which is?" asked Kristi, looking around at the room's metal walls, warily.

Wolverine reached behind him and tugged something out of his belt. He took Kristi's hand and placed the item carefully into it.

Kristi found herself looking at a revolver.

"It's a gun!" she declared, in surprise.

"Well, yer quick, I'll give ya that."

"But what am I supposed to do with this?"

Wolverine cocked an eyebrow at her. "D'ya really expect me ta answer that?"

"You want me to shoot it?" Kristi's voice was almost a squeak. "But why? I don't need to be able to shoot. I've got destructive powers."

"Which is almost exactly what Storm said when I offered to teach _her_ how to shoot," Wolverine informed her. He folded his arms, defensively. "I'll tell _you _what I told Storm. The last thing anyone would expect from ya, knowing what yer powers are, is fer ya ta pick up a gun an' start shootin'. Bein' unpredictable can give ya an edge, Kristi. The knowledge saved Storm's life once an' ya never know when it could save yers."

"Well …… " Kristi wasn't too sure about this. Shooting off her starbolts was one thing, but firing a gun ……. well, that was another thing entirely.

"It's okay, we'll take it slow," Wolverine assured her. He raised his head, speaking to the room around them. "Initiate training programme, Wolverine: Colt Alpha 1."

Kristi braced herself for any number of things to come bursting out of the walls, but the room merely produced a row of targets against the far wall, resembling a shooting range. A wall of sandbags behind provided a safe place for spent bullets to embed themselves after being fired. A low metal table materialised just in front of Kristi, and Wolverine produced a small box from his shirt pocket, putting it on the table and opening it to reveal ammunition for the gun.

He held his hand out. "C'mere. I'll load it fer ya, an' then we'll see what ya can do."

Kristi quickly gave him the revolver, glad to be rid of it, even for a short time. "Are you sure about this?" she asked, hesitantly. "I really don't like guns."

Wolverine regarded her with a raised eyebrow. "Kristi, ya can do far more damage with yer own powers than ya ever could with a gun." He began loading the revolver with deft fingers. Kristi was fascinated, despite her growing nerves. "Yer just scared of the unknown, is all, Kristi. Ya'll be fine, once ya've pumped off a few rounds."

He held the revolver out to her once more. Kristi hesitated a moment, then took it with trembling fingers, her heart thumping now that she knew it was loaded.

"So where …… ?" Her voice came out as a dry squeak, so she swallowed and tried again. "Is the gun yours, Wolverine? You don't exactly strike me as a gun person, considering ……" she nodded towards his hands.

Wolverine nodded. "Yeah, the gun's mine. Ya could say I have an interest in old weapons. Keep one or two here at the mansion. If yer really good, I'll let ya have a go with my rocket launcher." He chuckled at Kristi's stunned expression. "Just kiddin'!" He indicated the targets with a nod of his head. "C'mon. Show me what ya can do."

Kristi took a deep breath and slowly took aim at one of the targets. The gun felt heavy and awkward in her hand and she wasn't surprised when Wolverine stepped in to correct her.

"Not like that. This is a powerful weapon an' ya need to hold it properly or ya'll break yer wrist. I'll show ya."

Wolverine moved in close, positioning her hands and correcting her stance. Kristi could feel his body pressing into hers as he helped her to aim from a position slightly behind and to the right of her, could feel his breath on the side of her face and the warmth of his hands on hers. Her heart-rate suddenly went into overdrive and a blush crept into her cheeks. She dipped her head, hoping her hair would hide her face.

"Don't squint at it! Ya'll never hit anythin' that way. Look at the target, girl!"

Wolverine's words jolted her and she blushed again, this time at her own embarrassment. What on Earth was wrong with her? _Get a grip!_ she told herself, angrily_. Stop acting_ _like an idiot and concentrate!_

Wolverine's hand was still around hers, guiding her aim and her finger on the trigger. With gentle pressure, he encouraged her to fire and she jumped as six bullets pumped rapidly into the target.

Wolverine released his hold and stepped back. "Now that wasn't hard, was it? Reload an' have a go on yer own."

Kristi lowered the gun and peered at the target. The man-shaped figure showed two holes in the head and four in the chest. "Hey, I'm not half bad, am I?!"

"If ya say so. Reload."

She looked down at the gun in her hand. _Reload?_

Wolverine huffed and stepped in, taking the gun out of her hand and flipping open the barrel. "Like this," he growled, showing her how it was done, but Kristi found she could hardly concentrate. His close proximity had set those butterflies fluttering again ……

She was almost relieved when he handed back the gun and stepped back again. Hesitantly, she assumed the stance Wolverine had shown her. The target had been changed for a new one without holes and she aimed carefully at it, determined to show Wolverine she could do this.

This time, the kickback from the gun as she fired felt stronger without Wolverine's hands covering her own. She peered at the target, seeing no hole in the man-shape. "Where'd it go?"

Wolverine shrugged. "In the bags behind. Ya missed."

"You sure?" Kristi squinted at the target. "Perhaps I just nicked it?"

"Ya missed," Wolverine growled, more forcefully this time. "Try again."

Muttering to herself, Kristi aimed at the target once more. Her first shot went wild again, sending a spray of sand from the bags behind, her second hit the target next to the one she was aiming at. "Well, at least I hit something!" she declared, in response to Wolverine's questing look. Biting her lower lip, she tried again, this time taking the barest nick out of the target she was actually aiming at. She grinned triumphantly at Wolverine.

Wolverine closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Kristi, I swear ya worse than Jubilee. Now, stop foolin' around an' concentrate."

"I am concentrating!"

"No, yer not. If ya were, ya'd be hittin' the damn target! Ya've got two bullets left. Now try again."

Annoyed at his harsh words, Kristi faced the target, sighted and pumped off two shots in rapid succession. Two holes appeared on the target, not in any significant area, but hits nonetheless.

Kristi punched the air, triumphantly. "I hit it!"

Wolverine nodded in grudging admiration. "Not bad. Not bad at all." Kristi beamed at his praise, but his next words knocked her for a six. "See what ya can do when yer concentratin' on what yer supposed ta be doin', an' not concentratin' on me."

"Concentrating on you?" Kristi was confused. "What the heck are you talking about? I wasn't even thinking about you."

Wolverine tapped the side of his nose, a slight smile lightening his features. "My enhanced senses can pick up just about anythin', darlin', includin' changes in yer heart-rate an' body temperature. Yers went inta overdrive every time I stepped near ya."

Kristi felt sick to her stomach as she realised that her own body had betrayed her. But she still wasn't prepared to admit it. Drawing herself up to her full height, a rather unimpressive five foot four, she faced Wolverine bravely, fisted hands on hips.

"You really are full of yourself, you know that, Wolverine? So what did you expect, with you climbing all over me like that? You got me flustered, nothing more. Where I come from, a gentleman doesn't drape himself all over a lady without so much as a by your leave!"

"Drape himself …… ?" Wolverine laughed, surprising Kristi somewhat – she had half expected a serious reprimand. He executed a grand bow, sweeping his hand before him like a gallant knight. "Well, excuse me, I do apologise, my lady! The error was all mine. If your humble servant may continue …… ?"

Kristi hesitated a moment, then nodded. "Well, just so you know where we stand."

"Oh, I do, believe me." Wolverine held out his hand, palm up, and waggled his fingers. "Gun. I'll reload. You fire."

Kristi passed him the revolver and Wolverine began to reload it, all professionalism once more. "Now, that last try wasn't bad, but ya need ta brace yer elbow a bit more ta stop the gun kickin' back." He handed back the fully loaded revolver. "Forget what ya may have seen in the movies, Kristi, with the hero blastin' away at all an' sundry, gun one handed. This way, ya've got more control an' when ya fire, the bullet will run true. Ready ta try again?"

Kristi nodded, slowly, thrown somewhat by Wolverine's rapid mood swing. "Okay ……" Settling herself to shoot, she glanced quickly at her companion, to see a wolfish smile playing across his features and mischief flashing in his icy blue eyes. Try as she might, Kristi couldn't shake the feeling that her bluff hadn't worked and that Wolverine knew exactly the kind of response he had provoked in her. It was a thought she found worrying, yet strangely satisfying, all at the same time.

oooOOOooo

Wolverine folded his arms and watched as the Danger Room doors rumbled open, allowing Kristi to leave. She turned in the doorway, glancing back as if sensing his scrutiny, then ducked her head and carried on her way, allowing the doors to close behind her.

Wolverine turned, picking up the revolver and flicking open the barrel to check that it was empty before lodging it into his belt at his back and covering it with his shirt. The Professor didn't mind him keeping several weapons at the mansion, but he drew the line at him walking around with them in plain sight while students were in residence. Wolverine snorted_. As if my claws ain't lethal weapons, an' they're on show more often than not._

He grunted, letting his mind play back over his training session with Kristi. Once she'd allowed herself to focus, she'd turned out to be a pretty good shot, managing to hit the target fairly regularly, at least more than she missed it. True, she didn't score with any accuracy, but continued practise should improve that. Her lessons with Gambit would also help.

Wolverine huffed softly to himself and leaned against the table, absently running a cartridge along the top with the tip of one finger, sensing his growing agitation. Agitation which was caused primarily by Kristi. Not because of any deficiency in her ability to learn what he had been teaching her, but simply because of what his senses had picked up from her.

She was attracted to him, pure and simple. He had suspected as much right from the start, had sensed her scrutiny that day outside the Danger Room, but he had brushed it off as simple interest on her part. But what had happened yesterday, out in the grounds, had blown that theory right out of the water. He still didn't know what had passed between them, but there had been no mistaking the look in Kristi's eyes or the quickening of her heartbeat whenever he'd glanced her way.

Still hoping to prove himself wrong, the training session had given him an opportunity to put her to the test. But it had only served to confirm his fears. He had deliberately tried to provoke a response from her with his closeness. And he had got it, in spades. The scents he had picked up from her were unmistakable – pure, undiluted attraction – causing her to become so flustered she could hardly think let alone shoot straight. Only when he'd riled her had she snapped out of it enough to ignore the signals her body was sending her and concentrate on getting the job done.

Despite his agitation, Wolverine smiled, remembering how she had squared up to him, hands clenched into tiny fists at her sides, annoyance rolling off her in waves. She was a feisty little madam, he'd give her that! But along with the annoyance there was also fear. Fear of him? Or fear that she'd been discovered? Wolverine didn't know and he wasn't sure that he wanted to find out.

He sighed, gathering up the scattered ammo and putting it back in the box. So what did he intend to do about it? _Nothin', that's what,_ he told himself determinedly. _Ya don't_ _need this._ He didn't know if Kristi knew what her body was trying to tell her, but he had no desire to encourage it. His life was complicated enough.

Growling in annoyance at himself, Wolverine slipped the ammo box back into his shirt pocket. Cancelling the training programme, he strode determinedly from the Danger Room. He knew what he needed right now and it didn't involve any complicated relationships with a trainee.

Resolutely, he set off to the kitchen in search of beer.

**NEXT:** Kristi and Jubilee have a heart to heart!


	7. Heart to Heart

**Heart to Heart**

The nightmare came without warning, sending Kristi spiralling down into a terrifying world of shadows and spectres. She tossed and turned, moaning softly in her sleep, as something dark and deadly moved about in the shadows of her mind, its identity always just out of reach. Kristi tried to run but, in the way of all dreams, she moved as though struggling through treacle, her limbs heavy and uncoordinated. Her heart pounded as she heard the thing hunting for her, closing in for the kill, the sound of it snarling in the darkness sending her mad with fear.

At the mercy of her nightmare, she screamed as the thing reached for her, eyes red with madness and drool dripping from its sharp yellow teeth. The creature's talons tore at her clothes, digging into her flesh and raising blood. Kristi twisted frantically, desperate to free herself from its relentless grip, whimpering her fear as she felt the creature's breath hot and heavy on her neck as it moved in for the kill….. And then suddenly Wolverine was there, pushing her behind him, protecting her with his claws. The dark creature screamed its fury as the mutant's lethal blades slashed and tore at its body …..

Kristi rose late into the morning, feeling groggy and heavy headed. Her legs were tangled in the sheet and she had to fight her way free, groaning as her feet touched the floor with a bump and pain shot through her delicate head. She sat for a moment on the edge of the bed, holding her head in her hands and then she staggered to the bathroom, hoping a refreshing shower would ease the tension in her muscles. It didn't.

Still half asleep, she dried her hair and grabbed the first things that came to hand from her wardrobe – a pair of khaki combats and a blue T-shirt, hardly caring whether they went together or not. She then made her way slowly down to the kitchen, where she brewed a pot of strong coffee and tried to put her head in order. She had just started her second mug when Jean trotted in, looking fresh and bright eyed. Kristi hated her on sight!

"You look a bit the worse for wear," observed Jean, pouring herself a mug of coffee and joining Kristi at the table. "Bad night?"

"The worst," confirmed Kristi, with a faint nod. "I was tossing and turning for hours, and I can't even begin to tell you about the dreams." She shuddered at the memory of those fatal talons reaching for her, rending her flesh. "Remind me never to have Remy's leftover gumbo for supper again!"

"It probably wasn't the wisest idea," agreed Jean, sagely.

"Tell me about it! Two mugs of coffee and I'm only just starting to feel like a human being again!"

"What you need is some fresh air and a change of pace. Being cooped up in the mansion is getting everybody down." Jean considered a moment. "Some of the guys have started a basketball game out on the courts. Why don't you join them? It's a lot more fun than a danger room session and the exercise just might clear your head."

"I don't know, Jean ….. "

"Go on! It'll be fun! I'd join in myself but I promised Ororo I'd help her in the greenhouse this morning." Jean pulled a face. "Secretly, between you and me, I'd rather be playing basketball!"

Kristi chuckled, picturing the elegant redhead running around after a basketball. "I might drop by for a few minutes, Jean, but I doubt if I'll play. I'm not very sporty at the best of times and after the night I've just had I'll only slow everybody down. Besides, I haven't played for years and I'm a bit rusty on the rules."

"Rules? What on Earth makes you think our guys play by the rules?" Jean smiled, waving a hand vaguely in the direction of the courts. "Go! You'll see what I mean!"

"I might," Kristi repeated. She drained the last of her coffee, rose and placed the mug on the drainer. "I'll see you later, Jean."

"Okay."

Jean smiled as Kristi left the kitchen and then telekinetically lifted her own empty coffee mug to the drainer. She gave herself a mental pat on the back. The moment she had entered the kitchen she had picked up on Kristi's state of mind and, thanks to a light telepathic touch, had known exactly what to say to lift the girl's spirits. Ordinarily, Jean drew the line at invading a person's mind without permission, but Kristi had been broadcasting her thoughts so strongly anyway that Jean didn't feel too badly about this. Besides, if her plan worked, it would help Kristi and also a very dear friend and, for Jean, that made all the difference. After all, what were friends for?

**oooOOOooo**

Upon leaving the kitchen, Kristi was surprised to find herself heading for one of the downstairs closets, where she kept a couple of coats close at hand. Grabbing a fur lined windcheater, she shrugged herself into it and was heading across the patio at the rear of the house whilst still wondering at which point she had decided to take Jean up on her suggestion. After all, she would hardly describe herself as a sporty type of person. _More_ _the sit at home, curled up in front of the fire with a good book type of person_, she admitted to herself, with a wry grin. But she had to agree with Jean that the last couple of weeks had been rather tedious. With almost constant training and patrols, and nothing to break the routine, boredom had begun to set in, especially among the younger residents. Maybe Jean was right and a change of pace was exactly what she needed.

As she skirted the pool, still wearing its winter cover, she could hear voices coming from the courts, announcing that the game was already under way. Slowing her pace a moment, she wondered if she would be interrupting, then reasoned that she had come this far so it really couldn't hurt to drop by and watch for half an hour or so.

Several minutes later, as she stepped onto the courts, she almost began to regret that decision, noting that Wolverine was one of the players. She hovered uncertainly for a moment, torn between her desire to stay and a sudden need to avoid Wolverine like the plague. The embarrassment she'd felt the day before in the Danger Room, when he'd calmly announced what his senses were telling him, welled up inside her once more and almost sent her running for the safety of the mansion. Grim determination and a fierce desire not to lose face now that she had made an appearance forced her to stay. Gritting her teeth and trying to look nonchalant, she settled onto a bench at the side of the court, tucking her hands into her pockets and hoping she was doing the right thing. She'd already made a serious fool of herself once this week – she had no desire to do it again.

Watching the game in progress, it took her a while to figure out who was on who's side, but eventually she decided that Wolverine, Jubilee and Bobby were playing Rogue and Gambit. The sides seemed a bit unfair to Kristi, until she realised that Rogue and Gambit were already several points up despite their handicap.

She waved as Remy noted her presence and blew her a kiss, then laughed as the ball, thrown by Rogue, bounced off the distracted Cajun's head. Rogue berated her partner for not keeping his mind on the game and then cursed in a most unladylike fashion as Jubilee scored a basket.

Kristi was perfectly happy to watch the game from the sidelines as it gave her a rare chance to see her future (she hoped!) team-mates in action in a non-combat situation. And she quickly came to understand what Jean had meant about the rules. The X-Men's interpretation of the rules meant 'anything goes' and that included the use of powers. This livened up the game no end, particularly when Gambit charged the ball, as no one else would dare to touch it until he drew the charge back again. It was a foregone conclusion that Rogue would score once she had the ball due to being able to fly, while Bobby's tactic of creating small patches of ice under an unwary foot occasionally caught the opposing team members off guard.

Gambit was grace personified. Dressed in blue sweats and a black hooded top with a large red X emblazoned on the back, he moved like a true athlete, each action blending seamlessly into the next. He was spellbinding to watch.

But try as she might, Kristi could not keep her eyes from straying back to Wolverine every time she tried to look elsewhere. If Gambit was the athlete, then Wolverine was the predator, single-minded in his hunt to possess the ball. Muscles rippled beneath his tight black tee and Kristi found herself holding a breath each time he braced to throw the ball. With his eyes flashing like liquid ice with the thrill of the hunt and his hair flying wildly, he was the epitome of masculine prowess. Despite Gambit's athleticism and grace, for Kristi there was simply no comparison. It was Wolverine who stole her breath away.

And it was with this realisation that Kristi finally gave in to one simple truth – one she had known for days but had been too scared to admit it, even to herself. She was attracted to the one man whom common sense warned her she should steer well clear of – Wolverine.

So. What did she intend to do about it? _Nothing, _she told herself decidedly, unconsciously echoing Wolverine's own thoughts from the training session the day before. She had already made a complete idiot of herself several times in front of Wolverine. While she seriously doubted she could do much worse, she wasn't about to put that theory to the test. Besides, it was highly unlikely that her feelings were reciprocated. Wolverine was a senior X-Man and a member of the teaching staff. She was a twenty one year old trainee. It was hardly what Kristi would call a perfect match.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of Jubilee calling a time out, tapping her hands together to form a T. She trotted across the court to join Kristi at her bench, leaving her team-mates arguing tactics.

"Phew! I'm, like, totally whacked!" she puffed, dropping heavily onto Kristi's bench and fanning herself with one hand. "Great game though! We've got Rogue an' Remy right where we want 'em! They should never have bet Wolvie a case of beer on the outcome of this one!"

"But you're losing," Kristi pointed out, helpfully.

"Aha! So we've fooled you too! That's exactly what we want them to think, Kristi! We'll come from nowhere in the final seconds an' Wolvie will get his case of beer, no problem!"

"But you've got an awful lot of catching up to do, Jubes."

"Don't worry, dude! We've got it all worked out! We're just lulling them into a false sense of security, then …….. Pow!" She smacked a fist into her palm, making Kristi jump. "Victory will be ours!"

Kristi laughed and Jubilee joined in, punching her friend playfully on the arm. Across the court, Wolverine and Gambit glanced at them quizzically and then turned back to their conversation. Bobby looked up from where he was sitting on the ground retying his shoe lace and waved, but Jubilee poked her tongue out at him.

Rogue suddenly flew down, spinning the ball expertly on the tip of one finger and hovering several inches above the ground in front of them. "Jubilee, how much longer is this time out gonna last? Ah'm goin' off the boil here."

"What's the matter, Rogue? Scared you're gonna lose?"

Rogue snorted. "As if!" She turned a welcoming smile towards the young mutant's companion. "Hey, Kristi! How ya doin'?"

Kristi grinned. "Fine, thanks. Felt a bit fuzzy earlier, but I'm feeling much better since getting some fresh air."

"If it's cobwebs yer lookin' ta blow away, ya'll couldn't do much worse than a quick game o' basketball, X-Men style," offered Rogue.

"You're asking me to join you?" Kristi shook her head, quickly. "Oh no, Rogue, I couldn't! I haven't played since High School! I'm bound to be rusty!"

"Who cares?" declared Jubilee. "Come on, it'll be fun!"

Rogue held out a gloved hand. "C'mon, Kristi, ya can join Remy an' me."

"Hey, no fair, Rogue! I want her on my team!"

"Well, yer not gettin'. Ya've already got an advantage with three ta two. Share an' share alike, Jubilee. Besides, ah'm sure Kristi would rather be on the winnin' side than stuck with your buncha losers."

"Keep it up, Rogue. You'll be eating those words by full time."

"We'll see, Jubilee. We'll see."

Rogue turned, waving to attract the attention of the other players. "Hey, guys, Kristi's gonna be joinin' us!"

"Yay!" cheered Bobby, enthusiastically. "Who's side is she on?"

"Ours, o' course!" Rogue turned back to see Jubilee pulling encouragingly at Kristi's arm. "Ya will join us, sugah?"

Kristi grinned, ruefully. "Well, it doesn't really look as though I've got a choice, does it?" She allowed Jubilee to haul her to her feet. "Lead the way, Jubes! Let's get this show on the road!"

**oooOOOooo**

A tired but thoroughly satisfied Kristi let herself back into her room sometime later, after saying goodbye to Jubilee at the door. Her own team had been well and truly trounced by Jubilee's threesome, just as she had promised, but she harboured no ill-will. It was only a game after all. A concept which seemed to have been completely misunderstood by Wolverine, as he was still insisting on a case of beer as payment for the bet. Remy had promised to pick one up the next time he was in town.

Moving across the room, Kristi's eyes alighted on a black and yellow bundle folded neatly at the foot of the bed. Hardly daring to hope, she crossed the remaining floor space to her bed in three strides and shook out the bundle with trembling hands, to reveal her new trainee uniform.

Breathing a silent thank you to Paige and Jubilee for speaking to Professor Xavier on her behalf as they'd promised, she quickly began to strip off her tee and combats, eager to try on the new uniform now that it had finally arrived. It was a good deal tighter than expected and it took some time, not to mention a great deal of inventive shimmying to get it settled nicely into place. She hoped she wouldn't be expected to go into action at a moment's notice, because getting into her uniform quickly would certainly not be an option. The battle would be over and done with long before she had dressed herself! Still, despite being protective, it was thin enough to wear under normal street clothes – maybe that's what some of the other X-Men did? She made a mental note to ask.

Footwear had been left to her discretion, so she was glad she had brought her favourite calf high black boots with her to the mansion. They had a sensible heel – high enough to be stylish, but not so high that she'd break her ankle if she had to scramble over rubble or run. The overall effect, when she looked in the mirror, seemed quite pleasing although, despite being completely covered, she couldn't help feeling that a little more of her body was on show than she would have liked. The uniform was very form hugging and therefore rather revealing …..

She knew some of the senior team customised their uniforms slightly – Rogue wore a leather jacket and both Remy and Jubilee favoured dusters. Maybe the students were allowed to customise their uniforms also? Thinking of Rogue's jacket gave her an idea ….

Opening her wardrobe and rifling through her belongings, she emerged with a short black leather jacket which, when she slipped it on, went a long way towards making her feel less exposed.

A sudden urge to show off sent her scampering out of her room and down the hall to the room next door. Jubilee answered the tap on her door with a call to come in and then squealed in delight as Kristi stepped into her room.

"Your uniform has arrived! That is so cool!"

Kristi executed a twirl. "You like?"

"I like! Especially the jacket!"

"Good, because I thought the uniform looked a bit revealing without it."

"Revealing? Don't be a dweeb!" Jubilee plonked down on her bed and leaned back on one hand. "If you've got it, flaunt it, I always say!"

Kristi snorted. "Jubilee, please…."

"Hey, I just call it the way I see it! The minute you start training in that uniform you're gonna set a few o' the boy's hearts a flutterin'!"

Kristi couldn't hide the sudden blush that coloured her cheeks and Jubilee was quick to notice.

"Oho! Does that blush mean that you've already caught someone's eye? Way to go, girl! Hmm ….." She paused, putting a finger to her chin and making a show of considering the contenders for Kristi's affections. "Who could it be?"

Kristi shuffled her feet, anxiously. "Jubilee, for goodness sake! You're jumping to conclusions"

"Methinks the lady doth protest too much!" retorted Jubilee, enjoying her game. "Let's see …… It can't be Angel or Hank 'cause you haven't met them yet. Pity, 'cause Angel's kinda sexy, in a feathery sort of way." She ignored Kristi's exasperated sigh and continued. "I'm gonna rule out Scott an' Remy 'cause they're both attached. Unless ya have a thing for attached guys?"

"Jubilee ….."

"No, probably not. I'm also ruling out the Professor because …. well …. eww! So, the trainees ….. Bobby or Sam? They're both kinda young, but cute, if that's your thing!" She glanced up to see Kristi's frown and shook her head. "So, not trainees, then. Good, 'cause Bobby an' me ……. well, let's not go there, okay? So, who's left?" She began silently ticking off names with her fingers, slowing and looking up at Kristi in amazement as a possibility occurred to her. "Oh. My. God."

Kristi held up her hands as if to ward the nosy youngster off. "Now let's not get carried away here ….."

"It's Wolverine. Isn't it?" Jubilee's voice was soft, her blue eyes wide with barely repressed hope.

Kristi lowered her head in resignation. "Yes. No! I mean ….." She couldn't continue and she found herself sinking down onto a chair by the door. "Oh, Lord ….."

"Hey, it can't be as bad as all that. Can it?" asked Jubilee, leaning forward and fixing her friend with a steady gaze. "What happened?"

"Nothing …… Everything." Kristi sighed and rubbed a hand across her eyes. "I made a complete fool of myself, Jubilee. I'll be surprised if Wolverine ever speaks to me again."

"Well, that's just plain silly! When you slipped on a patch of Bobby's ice during the game he helped you up, didn't he?"

"Only because he would have stepped on me if he hadn't."

Jubilee sighed. "This is getting us nowhere. Look, Kristi, do you like Wolvie or not?"

"Yes, I do, Jubilee, but he scares me."

"Hey, you don't have to be scared of Wolvie, he wouldn't hurt a fly! Leastways, not unless the fly tried to kill him first, but that's beside the point! He's really just a big pussycat! …… With nine inch claws! …… An' big pointy teeth! …… An' he can be incredibly grumpy sometimes! But I digress …… !"

"Jubilee, you're not helping."

"Hey, so sue me! This is great news, Kristi! You like Wolvie! My Wolvie!" She suddenly sobered a little. "Does he know?"

Kristi nodded. "Yes, and that's the problem. Those blasted senses of his."

"So you haven't actually told him you like him?" Jubilee frowned. "Are you going to?"

"No, I am not!" declared Kristi, forcefully. "Like I said, I've already made a major fool of myself once this week. I don't intend to do it again."

"But ……"

"No 'buts', Jubilee. I mean it! He's a senior X-Man, for goodness sake! A teacher! Do you honestly think he's going to give a student a second glance?"

"He might," replied Jubilee, softly.

"No, he won't. So I'm not going to say anything, Jubilee, and neither are you. D'you hear? Not a word!"

Jubilee pouted, folding her arms petulantly. "I won't say anything if you don't want me to, but I think it's an awful shame. You're my friend, Kristi, an' I think you an' Wolvie would be great for each other."

Kristi smiled. "It's nice of you to say so, Jubes, but this has got to remain a secret between you and me. It's probably just a stupid crush anyway and I'll snap out of it in a day or two."

Jubilee nodded, sadly. She liked Kristi and it was upsetting to see her throwing away such a golden opportunity.

Kristi sighed and got to her feet. "I'd better go and take this uniform off before I wear it out. I'll see you later, Jubilee."

"'kay."

Jubilee watched her friend leave and threw herself back onto the bed, puffing up her cheeks and releasing the air quickly to relieve the tension. Her mind was a whirl of conflicting emotions. She was immensely proud of the fact that it was her Wolverine that Kristi was attracted to, but concerned she wasn't prepared to take it any further for fear of being made to look a fool. If only she knew what Wolverine thought about Kristi. Did he like her too?

She rolled over onto her stomach, swinging her feet in the air. Okay, so Kristi didn't want her to say anything to Wolvie, but Jubilee was never one to back down from a challenge. She loved Wolverine dearly and was beginning to think that Kristi had the makings of a fine team-mate and friend. But they both needed help in sorting out their relationship, even if they didn't realise it yet, and Jubilee had already decided she was the best qualified to give it.

But how?

**oooOOOooo**

Later that evening, after dinner, Jubilee went in search of Wolverine. She finally found him in the garage, working on his beloved Harley. The sleek black and silver machine had been partially stripped down and her partner was surrounded by engine parts, which he had placed on a sheet to protect the garage floor from oil. Engines and how they worked were an alien concept to Jubilee. She had no idea how he managed to continually strip his bike down and put it back together again without having bits left over. It gave her a headache just thinking about it.

Wolverine wiped his hands on an oily rag as he noticed his young partner trotting across the garage towards him. "Whatchya want, Jubilee?" he growled, as she drew nearer.

Jubilee pressed a hand to her heart. "I'm hurt, Wolvie! Why do you always suspect I'm after something?"

"Because the only time ya ever come near me when I'm workin' in the garage is when ya need a favour." Wolverine stood and eyed the youngster warily. "So out with it, Jubilee. Whatchya want?"

Jubilee huffed, torn between calling his bluff and asking for the favour she so desperately needed. The favour won out.

"Well, actually ……"

"I knew it."

"Okay, you were right, Mr Know It All Wolverine! Can I continue?"

Wolverine gestured graciously with one hand. "Go ahead."

"I need a lift into town, Wolvie. I ordered some books from Roddicks a couple o' weeks ago an' they've arrived. As the Professor says we can't go into town alone ……"

"Ya figured ya'd ask me ta chaperone ya," finished Wolverine. He nodded. "Okay, I'll take ya. Tomorrow?"

"Sure."

"Wanna go on the bike?"

"No, I do not. Can't carry books on the bike, can I?"

"Just askin'. I'll meet ya out front with the jeep at ten o' clock. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Don't be late. I ain't waitin' fer ya if yer late."

"I won't be late." Jubilee smiled sweetly. "I'll see you tomorrow, Wolvie."

"Right."

Wolverine watched his young partner leave the garage before turning back to his bike. Crouched there, surrounded by parts and clutching his oily rag like a lifeline, he couldn't help feeling that he'd just been duped.

**NEXT:** Sabretooth!! Nuff said!!


	8. Sabretooth!

Hello everybody! I hope you're still enjoying the story as much as I am! Many thanks to noloveloss and firefly4543 for your kind words! I hope this latest chapter lives up to your expectations!

**Sabretooth!**

"Aw, nuts!"

Wolverine spat the butt of his cigar over the side of his jeep as Jubilee waved cheerily from the front door of the mansion. The little firecracker was usually the source of all his frustration, but on this occasion his attention was focussed entirely on her pretty, sandy haired companion. Seemingly wrapped up in her own thoughts, Kristi didn't immediately notice the jeep's arrival, but was leaning against the wall, absently swinging a small shoulder bag by the strap. However, as soon as she realised that the approaching engine noise belonged to Wolverine's jeep she straightened, tossing Jubilee a nervous glance.

Wolverine stamped on the brake and brought the jeep to a skidding halt in a shower of gravel. He knew he was being childish, but he couldn't help himself. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn he had been set up, but Kristi looked as surprised by his appearance as he was of hers, and he doubted she was devious enough to set this up on her own. Jubilee, however, was another matter entirely. If she had learned of Kristi's attraction for him, she was entirely capable of trying to tweak things the way she thought they should go. He tossed her an accusing glare, but she merely smiled sweetly back at him as she made a show out of retying her shoelace. He wasn't sure he could entirely trust that innocent expression. She was a headstrong individual and trying her hand at a spot of matchmaking was certainly not above her. From the moment she had helped him down off that cross in Australia, she had tried to assume command of their relationship, attempting to push, prod and generally scold him into directions in which she thought he should go. For his part, Wolverine gave only as much as he wanted to, recognising that Jubilee was a teenager and at that difficult stage in her life. But Wolverine's life was his own and he lived it how he wanted to, and no one, not even a lonely teenager who had entered his life with all the subtlety of a runaway tank and imprinted herself so firmly upon him, could change that. If she thought she could play matchmaker, then Wolverine would definitely not give ground on this. He had no desire to start a new relationship at this point in time and he was not going to let a fourteen year old girl convince him that he needed one.

He almost turned the jeep around, right there and then, but Jubilee had said she needed to pick up some books and he was still prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt, despite outward appearances. He knew that Jubilee and Kristi had taken a liking to each other since her arrival and he hoped that her presence was simply the act of two friends who wanted to spend some girlie time together. If he was lucky, this was all the product of a huge coincidence and not some plot to see him married off.

_Don't pin yer hopes on it, _he thought, grimly. _Yer never that lucky. _

Despite his churning emotions, he managed to coax his face into some semblance of welcome as Jubilee vaulted into the back of the jeep, making it patently obvious that Kristi was meant to sit in the front. Kristi hesitated uncertainly on the step and Wolverine actually felt a tiny bit sorry for her. Whether this was a set up or not, it was clear now that Kristi had had no hand in it.

Wolverine executed a half bow in his seat, gesturing grandly to the passenger seat beside him. "Yer carriage awaits, my lady," he growled.

Kristi blushed prettily, no doubt remembering him make a similar gesture in the Danger Room, and Wolverine chuckled softly to himself, realising that there might be some fun to be had out of the situation after all. He might not be in the running for a relationship right now, but there was no harm in a little harmless flirting!

He stepped on the accelerator so hard that he heard Jubilee squeal as she was thrown back in her seat. He took some small satisfaction from that as the jeep hurtled down the driveway in a spray of gravel. The gates at the bottom opened automatically as they sensed the approaching vehicle.

As he looked away to check for oncoming traffic before turning out onto the road, Kristi swivelled in her seat and glared at Jubilee. Jubilee merely grinned back in response.

The journey into town was made mostly in silence. Jubilee chattered nonsense for a while, but gave up when it became apparent that neither Wolverine nor Kristi were in the mood to respond. Wolverine eventually lit another cigar and puffed out large clouds of smoke, which were snatched away by the wind.

Salem Center was a bustling little town and Wolverine found it difficult to locate a parking space straight away. He cruised up and down the streets for a time until a car pulled out of a space on the main street just ahead of him. Speeding up and then slamming on the brakes, he backed the jeep neatly into the space before anyone else could claim it.

As he switched off the engine, Jubilee vaulted out of the back onto the sidewalk. "I'll be off then, Wolvie! I'm sure a boring bookshop isn't your scene, so I'll meet you both back here in a couple of hours, 'kay? See you later!"

Wolverine swivelled in his seat as Jubilee took off. "Jubilee! Jubilation, get yer sorry ass back here!"

But Jubilee was gone, swallowed up by the milling shoppers.

Wolverine slapped the dashboard with the palm of his hand. "Damn the girl! Why don't she ever listen?"

Kristi, still seated beside him, felt decidedly uncomfortable. She was no fool – she knew what Jubilee had done, and it rankled her to think she had been taken in so easily. But as bad as it was for her, she knew it was much worse for Wolverine. He had to know by now that he had been set up and she feared being the focus of his anger.

Wolverine, however, reached into the back for his cowboy hat, settled it comfortably into place, then stepped out of the jeep. Kristi bit her bottom lip as he made his way around to her side, wondering what he was intending to do.

"C'mon, Kristi. Time ta go."

"Go? Go where?" Kristi hopped out of the jeep as Wolverine set off down the sidewalk in the opposite direction to the one in which Jubilee had just gone. "Wolverine? Aren't we going after Jubilee?"

"No, we ain't." Wolverine waited a moment for Kristi to catch up and then set off again. "She ain't exactly in my good books right now."

Kristi frowned, as Wolverine's words confirmed her fears. He knew. What on Earth could she do to make amends?

"Wolverine? Wolverine, do you want me to go? I could go to the mall? Do some shopping, or something?"

"No, yer won't." Wolverine stopped so suddenly she almost bumped into him. He jabbed a finger at her. "I already lost one o' ya today. I ain't gonna lose another. Yer stayin' with me."

"Well …… okay." Wolverine set off once more and Kristi jogged to catch up. "But where are we going?"

"Here." He stopped and pointed to the bar they were now standing outside of. "It ain't Harry's, but it's a nice enough place, an' I need a drink."

"A drink? At this time of the morning?" Kristi received a grunt by way of reply as she hesitantly followed Wolverine into the bar. A few early patrons looked up at their entrance and then turned back to their drinks and conversations. Kristi frowned. She had never frequented a bar so early in the day and she was sincerely pleased that her parents weren't around to see her now.

Wolverine led the way to a table at the back where he pulled out a chair for Kristi. "Sit." He settled into a chair with his back against the wall where he silently surveyed the room, his brain unconsciously sifting through the scents that were drifting to him and noting no apparent threat among them.

When the waitress approached he ordered a beer. Kristi, with a look of distaste for his choice, ordered herself a Coke.

They waited for their drinks in silence. Kristi felt at a loss. She didn't have a clue what to say and it was obvious Wolverine was in no mood for small talk. When their drinks arrived, he took a long draft of his beer and then leaned back in his chair and lit a cigar. Kristi waved away the smoke with one hand as it drifted towards her. She felt responsible for what had happened and the feeling wasn't a pleasant one. If she hadn't blabbed her mouth off to Jubilee, Wolverine would never have been tricked into a blind date. And a blind date was exactly what it was, no matter how Kristi tried to call it otherwise. She was attracted to Wolverine, yes, and nothing would make her happier than to know he was attracted to her too. But she wanted him to return her feelings willingly, not feel tricked into it.

She felt confused and betrayed. Jubilee had promised not to breathe a word to anyone and, while she hadn't exactly told Wolverine how she felt about him word for word, Kristi felt as though Jubilee had betrayed her trust. By setting up a blind date, Jubilee may as well have proclaimed Kristi's attraction for him in lights, for all the world to see.

Deep in thought, Kristi was unaware that her 'date' was studying her through his cigar smoke with steely blue eyes. He tipped his hat back with the tip of one finger. "Yer awfully quiet, Kristi. Care ta share 'em?"

Kristi jumped as he spoke and then crumpled in distress. "I am so sorry about all this, Wolverine. Truly I am. I had no idea Jubilee would do something like this." She hesitated, running a hand through her hair. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I'll finish my drink and then take a taxi back to the mansion."

Wolverine unexpectedly reached across the table to cover Kristi's hand with his own, his touch sending a shiver through her body. If he noticed, he gave no sign of it. "You'll do no such thing, Kristi. You're a trainee X-Man, an' a possible future team-mate. If we can't enjoy a quiet drink together then what sort of people are we?"

Kristi smiled, feeling suddenly shy, and was sorry as he withdrew his hand from hers. "Thanks, Wolverine. I really appreciate that."

Wolverine leaned back once more in his chair and winked at her. "Don't thank me. Thank Jubilee!"

**oooOOOooo**

Jubilee was feeling mighty proud of herself. Not only had she managed to get Kristi and Wolverine out of the mansion and away from distractions, but she'd also arranged for them to have several hours alone together. And she hadn't even had to break her promise to do it. Good thing she'd remembered about ordering those books. A quick call to Roddicks had confirmed that they had arrived and were ready to be collected. After that, the rest of the plan had just fallen into place.

She paused to take a long drink from her can of Coke, placing it back on top of the arcade game alongside her recently collected books. Since leaving the bookshop, she had been hiding out in her favourite amusement arcade, where she was currently racking up a respectable score on the Space Patrol game. For someone who had spent time in space herself, the game was a little tame, but still a welcome distraction from all the bustle and noise of the arcade around her.

Jubilee cursed softly as a lapse of concentration resulted in her spaceship being blown up by the enemy. The 'game over' icon came up on screen and she sighed. Just when she'd been doing so well too. She'd almost beaten her own personal best.

She reached into her duster pocket for some more loose change, then jerked as something at the corner of her eye caught her attention. Something large. She whirled towards the arcade doors and the street beyond, catching the barest glimpse of a light tan outfit, before shoppers got in the way. _No!_ Her blood ran cold. Sabretooth!

"It can't be!" Her view of the street was suddenly blocked by a group of boys crowding around the machine next to hers and she ducked out into the aisle. But Sabretooth, if it truly had been him, was gone. She ran to the doors, pushing through the gamers and leaving angry cries and bruised egos in her wake.

There was no sign of Sabretooth on the street in either direction. Praying that she'd simply been mistaken, Jubilee ran to the nearest corner. And there he was, striding purposefully along the sidewalk, ignoring those around him but scattering the frightened shoppers just the same. There was no mistaking the massive form, the shaggy maned costume and the cruel talons that were almost a match for Wolverine's own adamantium ones.

Jubilee anxiously scanned the street around her. She couldn't take him on alone – she was no match for the larger mutant. She had to find Wolverine and ……

Jubilee clapped a hand to her mouth. "Oh no! Wolverine!" Books forgotten, she set off at a run down the street. She had to find Wolverine and Kristi …… before Sabretooth found them first!

**oooOOOooo**

"So, are you saying that this creature tracked the hunter back to his cabin and held him there?" Kristi stared incredulously at her companion. "For almost two weeks?"

Wolverine nodded. "That's exactly what I'm sayin'. Wolverines are deadly creatures at the best o' times an' a wounded one doubly so. What most people don't realise is that they're also very intelligent an' this, coupled with their natural ferocity, makes them creatures not ta be taken lightly."

"But did the man ever get out of his cabin?"

"Yeah. When he didn't return from his huntin' trip on time, some friends o' his drove up ta find out what was wrong an' were able to chase the wolverine away."

"That is an amazing story! I had no idea that wolverines were so …… resourceful."

"Not many do." The man called Wolverine took a deep pull of his cigar and exhaled the smoke in a large cloud, which Kristi batted away with a hand. "That's enough from me. It's your turn."

"What do you want me to talk about?"

"Well, I dunno. Tell me some more about yerself. If yer trainin' to learn how ta use ya powers responsibly, ya must have some idea what ya want ta do when ya've graduated."

"That's easy! I want to be an X-Man!" Kristi's eyes shone at the thought of it.

"Ya do?"

"Of course! Why not? I was given these powers for a reason, Wolverine. I don't want to waste them. I want to use them for the good of all, not just for mutantkind." She looked down, tracing a drop of condensation as it rolled down her glass. "I saw you all on TV once, rescuing some kids from a burning orphanage. That's what I want to do, Wolverine!"

"Yeah, well, that little caper didn't exactly go as well as planned," Wolverine remarked, grimly. "I got shot twice in the head an' Nightcrawler was beaten senseless with a baseball bat."

Kristi was horrified. "But why? You saved all those kids!"

"'Cause we're 'muties'. Wolverine snorted. "Some folks'd rather the kids had burned in the fire than be touched by the likes o' us." He drained the last of the beer in his glass in one gulp and set it down on the table with a thump. "If ya join the X-Men, that's what ya'd be getting' yerself inta, Kristi. What we do ain't glamorous, not by a long shot."

Kristi stuck out her chin, defiantly. "You won't put me off, Wolverine. I want to be an X-Man!"

Wolverine merely saluted her with a tip of his hat.

Kristi toyed absently with her glass, studying her companion through lowered lashes. She and Wolverine had been chatting for almost an hour and, despite her previous discomfort, she was actually enjoying herself. Wolverine wasn't a natural conversationalist, preferring instead to listen, but when he did have something to say she found it absolutely riveting, even when he was trying to scare her. She was beginning to realise there was more to him than first met the eye.

She drained her glass and set it down beside Wolverine's. "Our glasses are empty – do we go in search of Jubilee now or do you fancy another drink? My treat!" Kristi frowned as her companion suddenly stiffened. "Wolverine?" A low growl rumbled deep in his throat and his eyes narrowed as he glared around him for the source of his alarm.

"Wolverine? What is it?" Kristi began to rise from her chair, looking around her fearfully. "Wolverine, you're scaring me ……"

"Trouble! Get behind me! Quick, girl!"

He made a lunge to grab her arm, but at that moment the front of the building blew in with an ear-splitting roar. Kristi was knocked off her feet by the force of the blast and she covered her head with her arms as debris rained down around them.

By the time she was able to look up once more, terrified patrons had already begun to flee the bar. By some miracle, no one was seriously injured, although many sported cuts and bruises.

Kristi climbed slowly to her feet and edged nearer to Wolverine, who was standing precisely where she had seen him last, seemingly oblivious to the wreckage that had fallen around him. His whole attention was riveted on the jagged hole that had once been the front wall of the bar. His body was tense, like a coiled spring awaiting release. Kristi had seen him tensed up, ready for a Danger Room exercise before, but this was different. This time it was for real.

On impulse, she embraced her power. The familiar feeling calmed her and helped her to focus. Then she and Wolverine waited.

Kristi's heart jumped as three figures stepped over the rubble at the front of the bar. They seemed to be wearing a form of body armour similar to Gambit's and they carried lethal looking guns. Concussion rifles, Wolverine noted. Smaller weapons hung in holsters around their waists.

One of the men noticed the two mutants standing near the back of the bar and stepped forward. "Wolverine, we have come for you. Give yourself up and you and the lady will not be hurt."

Wolverine sighed, shaking his head sadly. "Figures it'd be me they're after," he whispered softly to Kristi. "Can't even enjoy a quiet drink no more." Then, louder, to the armoured men, "Wolverine don't take kindly ta bein' told what ta do, bub."

"Then prepare to be taken by force, mutie."

"By force? Bub, ya've just said the magic word!" So saying, Wolverine launched himself over the table at the man who had spoken. In mid leap, he unsheathed his claws and drew back his right arm to strike.

So quick was his attack that he took the three men completely by surprise. They had no time to react as Wolverine slashed his claws at their leader. They raked across his body armour with an ear-splitting screech and a shower of sparks.

Wolverine landed, rolled and came up ready to fight. But instead of two nervous men and a critically injured leader, he faced three confident and fully armed men who were now regarding him with some measure of amusement.

"Ah, Wolverine, did you really think we'd go up against someone like you without being properly prepared?" The team leader slapped his chest plate proudly. "This body armour is pure adamantium. You can't touch us, Wolverine. But we can touch you."

He raised his rifle. With a snarl, Wolverine leapt forward, hoping to outrace the blast.

A surge of golden hued energy suddenly slammed into the team leader before he could fire, throwing him clear through the hole in the wall. He hit the sidewalk hard and stayed there, stunned.

The two remaining assailants whirled. "Frost! The girl! She's a mutie!"

"She's called Wildstar," growled Wolverine, as Kristi stalked forward, her raised fists glowing. "She's an X-Man, an' right now I'm guessin' she's real pissed. Feelin' confident now?"

The two men exchanged glances, then simultaneously raised their rifles and began blasting. Both X-Men reacted in completely different ways. Wildstar immediately took to the air, as far as the ceiling of the bar would allow, and began raining starbolts down on one of the men, forcing him to dodge to avoid being hit. His evasive manoeuvres meant he couldn't find the time to bring his rifle to hand. Ordinarily, Wildstar would not have used her powers so forcefully against another human being, especially one without powers, but he was wearing adamantium body armour and she was confident she could let go without doing any lasting harm.

Wolverine dealt with his opponent in his own inimitable way, constantly moving and trying to wear the man down. Every so often, his claws would make contact with the man's body armour, sending showers of sparks flying across the fray.

His assailant, for his part, put up a determined fight, keeping up a steady barrage of fire power from his concussion rifle, which Wolverine managed to avoid with relative ease. However, Wildstar knew they had to finish the fight sooner rather than later. Out on the sidewalk, the team's leader was beginning to stir and she knew it was only a matter of time before he recovered fully and rejoined the battle.

Wolverine's assailant suddenly reached into a bag at his side and threw a handful of something in the X-Man's face. Wolverine dropped to his knees, hacking and wheezing. He was back on his feet in an instant, but his eyes were red and watering so much he could hardly see. Seeing his chance, his assailant raised his rifle, having a clear shot while the X-Man was incapacitated. But Wildstar was having none of it. Turning swiftly away from her own adversary, she fired a starbolt at Wolverine's opponent, catching him full in the chest and hurling him across the bar. As she did so, she caught a whiff of the stuff that had incapacitated Wolverine and was surprised to recognise the smell of cayenne pepper. The pungent spice would play havoc with the mutant's enhanced senses, no doubt seriously hampering his sense of smell in particular. But why? Why use a weapon that his healing factor would deal with in a matter of minutes?

Distracted as she was, Wildstar didn't realise she had left herself wide open to her own assailant's attack until it was too late. A concussion blast exploding against the wall only inches away from her sent her tumbling to the ground. She hit hard and, for a moment, actually saw stars as she struggled to recover. Wolverine, battling to overcome the effects of the pepper, was in no condition to come to her aid. She was going to have to help herself. And quickly, before her assailant took advantage of her weakened condition.

Staggering somewhat unsteadily to her feet, she prepared to take to the air once more, then screamed as a section of the bar's rear wall suddenly exploded inwards, sending bricks and other debris flying in all directions. Before she could react, something large hurtled through the hole and crashed into her back, tackling her roughly to the ground and knocking the wind out of her once more. She struggled violently, but something was on top of her, pinning her face down to the floor. Then the something growled and she froze as a voice like razors whispered cruelly in her ear.

"Scream fer me, darlin'."

A howl of pure animalistic rage suddenly came from Wolverine and the thing atop Wildstar chuckled deep in its throat. "Hello, runt. Miss me?"

"Let the girl go, Sabretooth. It's me ya want, not her."

"Not likely, runt. She's my guarantee that yer goin' ta behave yerself. Although I'm seriously hopin' ya won't."

Wildstar felt her assailant's weight shift and she was hauled roughly to her feet. With one large hand, he held her arms behind her back by her wrists. The other hand he wrapped around her throat. Wildstar could feel sharp talons cutting into the flesh and she struggled to breathe shallow. Despite trying to remain calm, her heart was racing wildly. This was Sabretooth? This was the madman who everyone had been so worked up about back at the mansion? And now they were in his clutches. _Oh, Lord ……_

Sabretooth moved slowly forward a couple of steps, forcing Wildstar ahead of him. She could see Wolverine standing several feet away, his claws raised. He caught her eye and his expression clearly told her to remain calm and not to struggle. She couldn't have struggled if she had wanted to. Sabretooth had a grip like a steel vice and, pinned as she was, she couldn't even bring her powers into play. She had no doubt Sabretooth would do her serious harm if she tried.

The two human assailants had backed away to a position just inside the ruined front wall of the building. Their leader limped up and joined them, still somewhat groggy and sporting a bleeding cut on his forehead. All three stood silently, watching the tableau unfolding before them. Wildstar's heart sank. She and Wolverine were now hopelessly outgunned.

Wolverine stalked a couple of steps nearer. "Let the girl go, Creed. I'm warnin' ya."

Sabretooth chuckled. "Getting' feisty, eh, runt? Well, what if I don't _want_ ta let her go? What will ya do then, eh?" He paused a moment, pretending to think something over. "Maybe I should just put her out of her misery like I did Silver Fox, eh? What do you think ta that?"

Wolverine growled. "You harm one hair on that girl's head, Creed, an' I swear I'll gut ya like a fish."

"Brave words, comin' from a sawn off runt like you." Sabretooth snorted and jerked on Wildstar's arms, making her gasp at the pain in her shoulders. "Ya've never been able ta stop me, Wolverine. Never! Ya couldn't stop me from killin' Silver Fox an' I'm willin' ta bet ya wouldn't be able ta stop me now. So what shall I do, Wolverine? Shall I tear out her pretty throat like I did ta ya other lady friend? Or maybe I should rip her arms out of their sockets?" Another jerk to her arms, and again Wildstar couldn't stop the hiss of pain that escaped her lips. "Your choice, Wolverine!"

With a howl like that of a tortured animal, Wolverine launched himself at Sabretooth, claws flashing in the bar's dim light. But before he had moved more than a couple of steps, two muted shots rang out and Wolverine skidded to a halt, looking down in surprise at the two darts embedded in his thigh.

He yanked them out and threw them on the floor, snarling at the armoured man who had fired them. The man paled visibly, probably expecting the feral mutant to charge, but bravely held his ground.

Wolverine's face was contorted with rage as he turned back to Sabretooth. "Poison darts, Creed? S'matta? Ya forgotten about my healin' factor?"

He took several more steps forward. This time, two men raised dart guns and fired. Wolverine took three more darts, two in the chest and one in the upper arm. Once again, he swatted them away, slicing one in half as it fell to the ground. He took one more step, then hesitated, swaying slightly as a wave of nausea washed over him.

Sabretooth chuckled. "Feelin' the effects already, eh, Wolverine? I got those particular darts from an old friend o' yers – Deadpool, ya remember him, right? – an' he assured me that just one o' those darts could take down a T-Rex. You've taken five, runt. I guess yer not feelin' too well right now, huh?"

Wolverine shook his head, trying to dispel the dizziness that was creeping up on him. His vision swam with the movement, and he staggered slightly, just catching his balance once more before he fell. Much as he hated to admit it, Sabretooth was right. Deadpool _had_ used these darts on him once before. He hadn't been able to overcome their effects then and he didn't give much for his chances of doing it this time either. But that wasn't going to stop him from trying.

He took one more step forward and felt his legs give way beneath him. He fell heavily to his knees, his vision blurring. The room seemed to be spinning around him and he felt sick to his stomach. Every nerve in his body felt as though it was on fire and his heart was beating so fast it seemed to be trying to escape from his chest. Dimly, as if from a great distance, he could hear Wildstar begging him to get up, not to give in, and he tried to stand but his body just wouldn't obey his mental command. Darkness crept up on him and, as he pitched forward, he was unconscious before he hit the floor.

**NEXT: **Will the X-Men be in time to save their team-mates? Don't bet on it!!


	9. XMen Down!

Hi Everybody! Sorry for the delay in uploading this chapter - I wasn't able to log on for four days! But it's here now, so I hope you all enjoy!

**Mail Call!**

**sylphxpression: **Thanks for your kind words! I hope you enjoy this latest chapter! Nightcrawler? Hmmmm .... I'll see what I can do!

**nileena: **Don't worry - Jubilee wasn't very far away! She won't let her Wolvie go down without a fight!

**X-Men Down!**

Sabretooth dragged the kicking and screaming Wildstar forward to stand over Wolverine's prone form. Her team-mate's claws retracted with a 'snakt' as they approached and she moaned softly, knowing that with Wolverine unconscious she didn't have a hope of standing against Sabretooth alone. After what had just been done to her fellow X-Man, she seriously feared for her life now.

Sabretooth glared at the three men who were moving forward to claim their prize. "What took yer so long ta dart him? What the hell were ya waitin' for, Gorman? An invitation?"

The team leader, Gorman, shrugged. "Quit gripin', Creed. We knew you could take him, if he managed to reach you. Figured you might like a little fun first."

Sabretooth grunted in grudging agreement and gave Kristi a little shake. "What ya gonna do with the girl?" He ran a finger through her curls and Kristi twisted in his grip. "Easy, girlie. How about you an' me go off somewhere real quiet an' have some fun?"

"Forget it, Creed. The girl comes with us. We can't afford to leave any witnesses behind."

"Figures. Maybe later then, girlie?"

Gorman reached for the dart gun at his side, loading a small dart. Kristi's eyes widened in terror as she realised what he was about to do and she struggled violently in Sabretooth's grasp. "No! Don't!"

Sabretooth chuckled. "Don't worry, girlie. That ain't the same stuff we took Wolverine down with. One dart o' that stuff would be fatal ta anyone without a healin' factor. Time ta go bye byes."

Gorman fired and Kristi gasped as the dart lodged in her upper arm. Within seconds, she was unconscious.

Sabretooth lowered her, none too gently, to the floor beside Wolverine. "We got what we came for," he growled. "Time ta leave before the cops get their act together an' come ta investigate."

Gorman looked down at the two unconscious mutants. "We need the collars," he announced, then turned to one of his men. "Drake, get the chopper in. We need a quick retrieval."

"Sir!" Drake adjusted his communications headset and moved towards the front of the building, speaking softly into the microphone.

Sabretooth watched him for a moment, then looked down at Wolverine, grinning maliciously. "Payback time, runt." He kicked Wolverine savagely in the ribs. "I've waited a long time fer this. I'm gonna enjoy hearin' ya scream."

**oooOOOooo**

**Flashback: Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters**

The training session was going well. Cyclops had split the team into groups of two in order to assess their ability to work in harmony with their partner's power and so far he was reasonably pleased with the results. The autobots they were fighting were no pushovers, but so far everyone was holding their own, although he was secretly hoping that each group would be able to destroy their opponent instead of just fighting it to a standstill. Total destruction was very costly – autobots didn't grow on trees – but it gave the team a buzz to know they had triumphed completely.

A sudden shout from Gambit attracted his attention. His partner, Psylocke, was on her knees at his side, her head in her hands and obviously in some form of distress. Freed from their combined assault, their autobot opponent was advancing on the Cajun, arms flailing. Charging several playing cards, Gambit flung them at the 'bot and then intercepted its path, hoping to draw it away from the stricken telepath. But the 'bot, sensing easy prey, flung him aside and bore down on Psylocke ……

"Computer, emergency cancellation: Cyclops Priority One." The autobots immediately froze in mid attack and Cyclops hurried to Psylocke's side. "Betsy, what's wrong?"

Psylocke looked up at him with glassy eyes. Cyclops recognised the signs at once. She was in rapport. "It's Wolverine. He's being attacked!"

"Where?"

"Salem Center."

"Can you contact him? Find out who he's fighting?" It was a long shot, and he knew it. Being a feral, Wolverine was highly impervious to telepathic invasion. However, Psylocke had once shared a psychic link with him. It was fading now, but the bond sometimes flared up at times of emotional stress, re-establishing their rapport. If she could just get through ……

But Betsy shook her head, sadly. "I've already tried, Scott. He's too far away and his mind too primal for me to get through. I can sense his whereabouts and feelings, but that's all."

"Jean?" Cyclops turned to his fiancée, but she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Scott, but it's a no go. I can't get through. His mind's too chaotic." She paused, considering. "I could use Cerebro …… ?"

"No time. By the time you initiate contact, it could be too late." Cyclops spun to face the rest of the team. "Storm, Rogue, take to the air and get to Salem Center as quickly as you can. The rest of us will follow in the Blackbird."

"We're already gone, boss." Rogue left the Danger Room at a run, Storm at her heels.

"Okay, people, let's move!"

At a run, it took the group only three minutes to reach the Blackbird's hanger. Cyclops dropped into the pilot's seat and ran through a rapid pre-flight check, as the rest of the team buckled themselves into the passenger seats behind him. Phoenix made sure the boarding ramp was secure before taking her place in the co-pilot's seat.

"I've contacted the Professor, Scott, and told him what's happening. He's going to monitor us with Cerebro, and also try to contact Logan." She turned to her fiancé with worried eyes. "Scott, Jubilee and Kristi are with him. What if they've run into Sabretooth?"

Cyclops flicked a couple of switches on the flight panel. "Try not to worry, Jean. This is why the Professor insisted we go into town in groups. All three together are more than a match for Sabretooth."

"But what if they've been ambushed? Or he's managed to split them up somehow? Kristi doesn't stand a chance ……"

"Kristi's a big girl and she's already got amazing control over her powers, Jean. She'll survive. Besides, do you honestly think that Sabretooth will be able to sneak up on them? He'll never get past Logan's enhanced senses. For all we know, he's simply managed to get himself tangled up in another bar room brawl."

Phoenix turned to stare out of the cockpit window as the Blackbird lifted off with a roar of powerful engines. "I know you're only trying to put my mind at ease, Scott, but I hope you're right. I really do."

As Cyclops banked the aircraft and headed out over the lake he whispered too silently for anyone else to hear. "So do I, Jean. So do I."

**oooOOOooo**

Jubilee sprinted down the street, weaving between the frightened people heading in the opposite direction and chafing at the delay their flight was causing her. After sighting Sabretooth, she had backtracked to Wolverine's jeep in the hope of finding her team-mates waiting there for her, but they weren't and she had mentally kicked herself for making the wrong decision. In hindsight, her wisest course of action would have been to follow Sabretooth. Wherever he was headed, it was a sure bet that Wolverine was involved somehow.

Dithering at the side of the jeep, Jubilee had been unsure what to do next – until the sound of an explosion had rocked the nearby buildings and sent shoppers fleeing in terror. Smoke plumed into the sky not far away and Jubilee had set off at a run immediately. Not away from the source of the explosion, but towards it, knowing that Sabretooth and an explosion could only mean one thing. Trouble.

Ducking around the last of the fleeing shoppers, Jubilee at last erupted into free space and she doubled her speed, tearing down the street like a thing possessed, her trademark yellow duster billowing out behind her. Up ahead, the smoke was starting to thin out and she could see rubble strewn across the sidewalk and roadway. The entire front wall of a building had been blown away and Jubilee's eyes widened in alarm as she realised she was looking at the totally destroyed fascia of a bar often frequented by members of the teaching staff – Wolverine included. Things were beginning to look really bad.

She skidded to a halt in front of a baker's shop next door and flattened herself to the wall, inching her way along to the ruined doorway. She could hear voices within, but none she recognised at that distance, and she paused, unsure what to do next. Common sense told her she should find a phone and contact the mansion for help, but she was reluctant to leave. Wolverine was in there – he might need her.

Then a girl's voice cried out in terror and sheer instinct honed from hours of Danger Room training took over, sending her diving through the ruined doorway. She ducked quickly into the cover provided by a pile of rubble and several overturned tables, holding her breath and fearing discovery.

But no calls rang out to expose her hiding place and she plucked up courage to peer out from behind the tables just in time to see Sabretooth drop Kristi's limp form next to the already prone Wolverine. Her hand flew to her mouth to stifle a gasp as her worst fears were realised. Wolverine was already down and she had no way of knowing whether he was dead or merely unconscious.

Biting her lip to stop it from trembling, she switched her attention to Sabretooth. He was talking to three battle-garbed men, one of whom moved to the doorway, speaking into a headset. Then Sabretooth kicked Wolverine savagely in the ribs ……

Jubilee erupted from her hiding place, fireworks flying from her hands. "Get away from him!" she yelled. "You leave my Wolvie alone!"

Sabretooth staggered, blinded by the full force of her pyrotechnics. The three men threw up their hands to protect their faces, thrown off guard by the suddenness of her attack. Belatedly, Jubilee realised that she had acted rather rashly. Alone, she was no match for Sabretooth and she had just put herself in great danger. Yet rage had fuelled her power and, to her surprise, she realised she was actually forcing Sabretooth back. Her explosive plasmoids had him reeling in confusion and Jubilee's heart soared. Wolvie would be so proud of her.

Then she felt something hit her thigh, hard. Fearing the worst, she looked down to see a dart sticking out of her leg. She pulled it out quickly, but she knew it was too late and the dart had already done its work.

"Oh geez," she whispered. "I'm sorry, Wolvie." Darkness claimed her and she dropped gracefully to the floor.

**oooOOOooo**

Sabretooth shook his head in an effort to dispel the effects of Jubilee's fireworks. Coloured spots swam before his eyes. "What the hell was that?"

"Another mutie." Gorman moved to the girl and prodded her with the toe of his boot to make sure she was out. "They're comin' outta the blasted walls!"

"I've seen her before." Sabretooth's vision was finally clearing. "She's Wolverine's brat."

"Dammit!" Gorman turned away. "Drake, haven't you managed to contact the chopper yet? We need evac now, before any more muties show up."

"It's on its way, boss. Should be landing any time now."

"Good! These damn muties are makin' me nervous. Half the X-Men team must be in town today. Why didn't you warn us, Creed?"

"Hey, ya paid me ta track Wolverine, not babysit the rest o' the team while ya took him down. I think I've fulfilled my side o' the bargain."

Gorman was set to respond, but Drake suddenly shouted from his position by the ruined doorway. "Chopper's here, boss!"

"Good. About time." Gorman stalked to the doorway as the sound of rotor blades echoed outside and he watched as the modified Black Hawk came in to land on the roadway. Before it had even touched down, the side door slid open and a man wearing combats jumped out, waving urgently. "Gorman, hurry! Radar has picked up two X-Men heading this way. The rest can't be far behind."

Sabretooth reached down and hauled Wolverine up to his shoulder. "We can't fight the entire team. Gimme a hand here."

Frost and Drake took a girl each, carrying them out to the gunship where Gorman was now waiting. The man in combats eyed Wolverine warily as Sabretooth carried him aboard. "Is he safe?"

"We pumped five darts into him, Ferro. He'll be out for hours." Gorman turned to close the gunship's sliding door and then yelled forward to the pilot. "Everyone's aboard, Dietrich. Let's go!"

The Black Hawk's engines sounded loud in the passenger compartment as it lifted off. It banked sharply once airborne, then corrected its course, speeding away from Salem Center. Frost and Drake stowed their weapons, then took seats not far down the aisle. Sabretooth leaned against the bulkhead, arms folded, his eyes fixed on Wolverine.

Gorman still had his rifle trained on the three mutants, not willing to stand down until they had been safely dealt with. He turned to Ferro. "Where are the collars?"

"Here." Ferro reached into an overhead locker and produced three silvery metal collars about an inch wide. He handed them to Gorman. In turn, Gorman passed him the rifle, indicating that he should keep the mutants covered while he fitted the collars.

"I thought we were only going after Wolverine?" remarked Ferro. "How'd ya end up with two more of 'em?" He indicated the limp forms of Jubilee and Kristi with a poke of his rifle.

"One of 'em jumped us when we challenged Wolverine," replied Gorman, snapping open one of the collars and checking to make sure it was operational. "The younger one attacked us after we had taken Wolverine down. Creed thinks she's his partner, or something." He crouched next to Wolverine and deftly fitted the collar around the X-Man's neck. Once closed, a red light blinked at the front, indicating that the device was armed.

Ferro exhaled slowly. "I feel much better now the collar's on him. I've heard stories about Wolverine. Things that'd give you nightmares, if you were the nervous type."

"We've all heard the stories, Ferro. But like I told you, he'll be out for hours. By the time he wakes, he'll be safely in his holding cell." Gorman moved on to fit collars around the necks of Jubilee and Kristi, then stood, taking back his rifle from Ferro. "Besides, if he does come round, the collar will prevent him from using his claws. An' if he still causes trouble, we'll just have to show him what else his collar can do. Where is the remote, by the way?"

"Here." Ferro patted his pocket. "This little baby can cause plenty o' hurtin' if he decides to make trouble." He paused and a cruel smile touched his hard features. "I do hope he tries."

**oooOOOooo**

Phoenix closed her eyes, concentrated a moment, then turned to Cyclops. "Storm and Rogue have reached the danger zone, Scott, but they can't land. The police are setting up road blocks and there are too many onlookers about."

"Can they be seen?"

"No. Storm's whipped up some cloud cover to conceal herself and Rogue."

"Good. Tell them ……"

Before he could say more, an agonised gasp came from Psylocke seated just behind him. Phoenix was out of her seat and by her team-mate's side in an instant. "Betsy, what's wrong?"

Psylocke looked up at Phoenix with fearful eyes. "Jean, I can't sense Logan anymore. The rapport's gone."

Being a telepath herself, Phoenix immediately grasped the implications of Psylocke's words. She gasped and tossed a worried glance towards her fiancé. Gambit, cued by the sudden sharp rise in tension levels, leaned across the aisle to touch Psylocke's arm. "What exactly does dis mean, chere? What could break your rapport?"

Psylocke shook her head, sadly. "The only thing that could break my rapport with Logan is ……" she paused, reluctant to speak the words, " …… is Logan's death."

There was a heavy silence as this revelation sunk in. Then Cyclops slammed his hand down onto the Blackbird's flight console, making everyone jump. "No! I absolutely refuse to believe it! Logan's practically indestructible, we all know that. There has to be another explanation."

Phoenix regained her seat and looked at her fiancé with worried eyes. "What are we going to do, Scott?"

"Do? I'll tell you what we're going to do! First of all, you're going to enter the minds of the police and onlookers down there and cloud them so that Storm and Rogue can land."

"Scott, no!"

"No arguments, Jean. I know you don't like invading innocent minds, but what would you rather do? We need to get our people in there as quickly as possible and this is the only way we can do it."

Phoenix considered a moment, then nodded. "Alright. I don't like it, but I'll do it." She was silent for a moment, then "Done. Storm and Rogue are going in."

"Good. We're right behind them." He swivelled slightly in his seat. "We'll be landing in approximately two minutes, people. Be ready!"

It was a weird scene into which the Blackbird landed several minutes later. Police and onlookers alike stood frozen in place, their eyes glassy and unseeing. The Blackbird was able to land safely in the open space created by the police cordon. Storm and Rogue were waiting outside a ruined building. Their expressions said good news was not forthcoming.

Gambit exclaimed sharply as he hurried down the Blackbird's boarding ramp. "Remy know dat place! Dat's de Twilight Inn. Or was," he added, with a grimace.

Rogue stepped forward as her team-mates approached. "We found this," she announced, holding out Logan's cowboy hat. "Kristi was here too. There are starbolt burns all over the walls."

"What about Jubilee?" asked Phoenix.

"We couldn't find any trace of her," replied Storm, sadly. "But where Logan goes, Jubilee is usually never far behind. Chances are, if Logan found himself in trouble here, then Jubilee would have been drawn into it also."

"But if the girls were here, why couldn't me and Bets sense them?" Phoenix looked around at her team-mates, desperately seeking answers. "I can understand not being able to contact Logan, but not Jubilee or Kristi. Kristi hasn't even begun to learn how to build shields yet."

Cyclops frowned. "I don't know, Jean. Maybe their attackers had some sort of psychic dampener with them?"

"You clutchin' at straws, mon ami?" asked Gambit.

Cyclops shook his head, sadly. "I don't know what I'm clutching at, Remy. There's more to this than meets the eye."

"Show 'em the darts, 'Ro," prompted Rogue.

"Darts?"

"We found these." Storm held out two tranquiliser darts. Blood could be seen at the end of one of them. "There are several more inside."

Gambit took one of the darts and sniffed it. He recoiled instantly. "Dat be mighty strong stuff, Cyclops. A man could take down an elephant wit' jus' one of dose."

Cyclops took the proffered dart and turned it carefully in his fingers. "These must be what took Logan down. Which means he's alive, people. At least for the time being."

"But I still can't sense him, Scott," protested Psylocke.

"Maybe dat stuff be blockin' de rapport, oui?" suggested Gambit, but Psylocke didn't look convinced. She knew the extent of the rapport, despite it having faded somewhat since it had first been established. Once, when Logan had been captured by Omega Red, he'd been drugged and tortured so much he could hardly remember his own name. Yet Psylocke had still been able to sense him.

Cyclops shook his head. "I don't have all the answers, Betsy. I don't know why your rapport has been broken. But I do know that Logan is alive and that his attackers have taken him and the girls with them for reasons unknown. Nothing else makes any sense."

"So what now, boss?" asked Rogue.

He considered a moment. "There's nothing more we can do here and we can't hold these civilians like this for much longer. The only thing we can do is return to the mansion and try to locate Logan and the girls with Cerebro."

Neither Psylocke nor Phoenix looked happy with this proposal, but nevertheless nodded with the others.

Rogue caught Scott's arm as he turned to walk back to the Blackbird. "Ah saw Logan's jeep parked up the street as we flew in, Scott. Ah thought maybe ah should drive it back ta the mansion. Sooner or later, the cops're gonna start checkin' the vehicles in the area, an' Wolvie's abandoned jeep would only lead 'em right back ta the mansion."

Cyclops nodded. "Good point." He caught her arm as she turned away. "But be careful, okay? I don't want to lose anymore of our people today."

"I don't think we will, Scott," put in Phoenix. "I think we've seen the last of whoever did this."

"What do you mean, Jean?"

"I think Sabretooth's involved in this and he's got what he came for."

"Wolverine."

"Unfortunately, yes." Phoenix fixed each of her fellow X-Men in turn with a steady gaze. "Logan was right and we should have listened to him. Now it's too late. I only hope we're not going to live to regret this."

**NEXT:** Who's captured our intrepid heroes? And why?!


	10. The Cell

**The Cell**

"Oooh."

Consciousness returned to Jubilee with a certain amount of reluctance, generously bringing with it a pounding head and an unpleasant feeling like ants crawling all over her skin. She opened her eyes and immediately closed them again with an agonised gasp, as bright light flooded in, blinding her. She waited a few seconds, then tried again, this time shielding her eyes with one hand. This way the light level was more bearable and she found herself staring up at a bare metal ceiling, with two rows of lights set behind opaque shielding.

As sensation slowly returned to her body, she tried to sit up and groaned as a sharp pain lanced through her head. Sinking back down to her back, she lay still for a moment or two, squeezing her eyes shut to blot out the blinding light and wondering if anyone had got the number of the truck that had hit her. When she finally decided to try moving again, she rolled over onto her side and managed to get to her knees from there. This time the pain in her head confined itself to a dull ache so, encouraged, she opened her eyes to check out her surroundings.

Her eyes immediately alighted on Wolverine and Kristi, lying not far away.

"Wolvie!" She crawled, somewhat unsteadily, to his side, hunkering down between him and Kristi. He was unconscious and she quickly checked for a pulse, sighing in relief when she found it. It was very slow, but still strong.

Drawing back slightly, she frowned as she suddenly noticed the collar around the X-Man's neck. "What the heck's that?" She leaned forward for a closer look, but wisely resisted the impulse to touch. If there was anything her time with the X-Men had taught her, it was not to touch mysterious metal objects, particularly when they had flashing red lights on them. Red meant danger in her book, and flashing red doubly so.

A sudden thought sent her hands flying to her own neck, where questing fingers encountered a hard metal surface. Another collar. They obviously served some purpose, but what? A tracking device perhaps?

She breathed out noisily in annoyance and stole another glance at Wolverine before turning around to check on Kristi. Once again, she wore a collar and Jubilee frowned at it before reaching out to check for a pulse. Kristi stirred slightly at her touch and Jubilee felt heartened by the fact that her friend would soon be coming around.

Having tended to her team-mates, Jubilee turned her attention to their surroundings. Not surprisingly, they were in a cell. The fact that people always seemed to want to lock X-Men up never ceased to amaze her. This particular cell was rectangular in shape, approximately ten meters by eight. The floor, ceiling and three of the walls were solid metal, with no joins that she could see. She felt at the floor beside her knees, recognising it instantly_. Adamantium! _She snorted to herself. _Figures. Probably don't want Wolvie cutting his way out._

A door in the shorter wall the furthest away from her was open to reveal a toilet. There was no basin. Jubilee tsked in annoyance – her throat was burning and she would have appreciated a cooling drink, but she wasn't going to risk taking it from the only option open to her.

The fourth wall was barred from floor to ceiling, also adamantium. Several inches beyond the bars, there seemed to be a shimmering curtain of light. Jubilee studied it for several minutes, then dug in her duster pocket for a coin. Taking careful aim, she tossed it through the bars.

The moment the coin hit the curtain, there was a sharp flash of light and it disintegrated completely. Jubilee sucked in a breath. "Geez! These guys mean business!"

The area beyond their prison was devoid of any adornment, just a rectangular room of the same featureless metal. In the far wall was a door and, beside it, a small control panel. Jubilee guessed it probably held the controls for the light curtain.

A groan from beside her heralded Kristi's return to consciousness. Jubilee leaned over her, shielding her friend's eyes with her hand. "Kristi? Don't try to sit up yet. Believe me, you'll regret it if you do. How do you feel?"

"Awful. My head's pounding." She cracked open an eye and peered up at her friend, muzzily. "Where are we?"

Jubilee shook her head. "I haven't a clue. I haven't been awake long myself and so far I've seen no one but us. How did they take you out?"

Kristi grimaced. "Sabretooth landed on me. You?"

"Tranquiliser dart." She grinned, ruefully. "Walked right into it, too. Think you can sit up now?"

Kristi nodded, gingerly, and Jubilee helped her to rise. "Go easy. It'll hurt like hell if you don't."

Unfortunately, the first thing Kristi saw as she slowly sat up was Wolverine's unconscious form, laid out beside her. She lunged forward, anxious to check that he was okay and received a lancing pain just behind her eyes for her trouble. She clapped a hand to her head. "Ow!"

"Told ya." Jubilee was unsympathetic. "Why doesn't anyone ever listen to the kid?"

"But Wolverine ……" gasped Kristi, grimacing against the pain.

"He's okay, Kristi. He's unconscious, but okay." She shifted over slightly so that Kristi could see that the X-Man was breathing. "Guess they got him with the darts too, huh?"

"Yes, but not the same ones they tagged us with." Kristi leaned forward slowly to touch the X-Man's hand, something she would never have dared do if he'd been awake. "Sabretooth said just one dart could bring down a T-Rex. And they pumped five darts into him. Five, Jubilee!" She gently brushed a stray lock of hair back from his forehead. "How could they be so cruel?"

Jubilee spread her arms. "Welcome to the X-Men, Kristi," she said, simply.

Kristi suddenly noticed the collar. "What the hell's that?"

"I don't know, and I wouldn't go touching it if I were you. That little red blinky is giving me the creeps."

Kristi had found her own collar and her eyes widened as she spotted Jubilee's. "But …… don't you care what they are?"

"Of course I care, Kristi, but getting all worked up about them is not going to help us at this stage."

"But they could be dangerous, Jubilee! They could be bombs!"

"Hey, I hardly think someone's going to go to all the trouble of kidnapping us an' draggin' us to who knows where, just to watch us blow up!" She wagged a finger under Kristi's startled nose. "Don't go all wiggy on me, y'hear, Kristi? You've got to keep a cool head, otherwise we'll never get out of here."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Kristi found herself grinning. "Wiggy? Now where have I heard that before?"

Jubilee had the grace to look sheepish. "An episode of Buffy, I think. The one with Kendra?"

"I remember that one." Kristi took a deep breath, feeling calmer now. "Okay, Jubes, let's make like the Scooby Gang and figure out how to get out of here. Any ideas?"

"Not one," responded Jubilee. "The walls are adamantium. No seams either. I don't think we're getting out o' here until someone comes to let us out."

"The men who attacked us wore adamantium body armour," mused Kristi. She climbed unsteadily to her feet and looked around her. "Whoever they are, they're fully prepared for dealing with someone with adamantium claws. Maybe they're not prepared to deal with someone who can harness the power of the stars."

"Nice line," commented Jubilee, appreciatively, as Kristi stepped away to give herself room. "I thought only Storm had a flair for the dramatic. Hey, what's wrong?"

Kristi had raised her fists in readiness to embrace her power and unleash it at the room. But nothing happened, and her whole body stance shouted out to Jubilee that something was amiss. At Jubilee's words, Kristi turned towards her, her face white and scared. "Jubilee, I can't embrace my power!"

"What?" The young mutant leapt to her feet and hurried to her friend's side. "You must be mistaken, Kristi. Maybe the tranquiliser has scrambled you up a bit. Try again."

"I am trying." Kristi looked frantic now. "I can't feel my power at all, Jubilee! It's gone!"

"It can't have just gone, Kristi. There must be some reason ……" She suddenly paused, her eyes widening. "Oh geez ……"

"What? Jubilee, tell me!"

"It's the collars, Kristi! They're inhibitor collars!" Her face paled visibly. She'd heard of them, knew that they could completely cancel out a mutant's power, but she had never expected to experience the effects of one first hand. She held out a shaking hand. "Stand behind me, Kristi. If my powers are working, the safest place is behind me. If not ……" She shrugged, unwilling to say it. But she had to know …… "I'm gonna give it all I've got."

She raised her hands to unleash her fireworks, but nothing happened. Grunting with the effort, she closed her eyes and tried again, willing her power to manifest with all her might. Nothing.

"Well, that's that then. We're not going anywhere, unless it's through that door with our captors." Jubilee dropped to the floor next to Wolverine and breathed out heavily. "I've never been without my powers before. It's not a nice feeling."

Kristi sat down nearby and glanced at Wolverine to make sure he was still breathing steadily. He was one of the X-Men's strongest members, yet it depressed her to know that, when he regained consciousness, he wouldn't have access to his powers either. The collar he was wearing had seen to that.

A new thought occurred to her so suddenly that she could have slapped herself for being a fool. "Jubilee! Wolverine's claws don't have anything to do with his mutation, do they?"

"No. His mutant ability gives him his enhanced senses and the healing factor …… Oh, wait a minute! I see what you're getting at! Brilliant, Kristi! All we have to do is wait for him to come around and then we can blow this joint!"

Kristi cast a worried glance towards the door. "But why hasn't anyone been to check us out, Jubilee? Shouldn't someone have come to see if we're okay?"

Jubilee waved a hand, dismissively. "Villains don't work to a code, Kristi. They're probably gonna let us stew here for a while. When they're good an' ready they'll come for a gloat, don't you worry."

"I'll look forward to it." Kristi pulled her knees up and rested her chin on them. "Do you think they'll find us?"

"Who? The X-Men?"

"Yes."

"Of course they will!" Jubilee filled her voice with as much conviction as she could muster. "There are three telepaths on the team, and they're no slouches in the 'Hunting People Out' department. An' Cerebro can boost the Prof's abilities a hundred fold. They'll find us, no worries! I bet they're all speedin' to rescue us right this very minute."

"I hope so."

"They'll come. Don't worry."

Silence for several minutes, then, "Jubilee?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me how you joined the X-Men."

"Okay." Jubilee grinned encouragingly, recognising that Kristi was doing her best to distract her mind from their current predicament. "It all began with a ladies day out ……"

**oooOOOooo**

It was several hours before Wolverine finally shook off the effects of the tranquiliser and drifted back to consciousness. As he groaned and rolled over onto his side, Kristi and Jubilee hurried to assist, helping him to sit and then lean against the rear wall of the cell. He seemed unsteady and weak and his eyes were strangely dilated and unfocussed. Jubilee told herself not to worry, that it was only the after effects of the drug, but when a coughing fit doubled him over for several minutes, she began to wonder if something was seriously wrong.

"Are you okay, Wolvie?" she asked, gently.

"Damn throat feels like I been drinkin' sand fer the last six hours," he growled. He looked around him, muzzily. "Where are we?"

"That's the million dollar question and I pass," replied Jubilee, ruefully. "One thing's for sure, we're not in Kansas anymore."

"Stow it, Jubilee." Wolverine climbed unsteadily to his feet, using the wall and Kristi's shoulder for support. "An adamantium cell," he declared. "Figures." He took a step and stumbled, catching himself with a hand on Kristi's arm. She frowned as he put a hand to his head.

"Wolverine? Are you alright?"

"I don't know." He shook his head, dazedly. "Somethin's …… not right."

"It'll be the collar you're wearing," pointed out Kristi, gently. "Jubilee says they're inhibitor collars. We can't use our powers and believe me, we've tried."

Wolverine frowned and looked at each of the others in turn, noticing their collars for the first time. He raised a hand and cautiously touched his own collar, his eyes narrowing in anger and his lips drawing back in a snarl.

"The collar won't have affected your claws though, will it?" asked Kristi, tentatively. "You'll be able to get us out of here, won't you?"

"I'll give it a damn good try." Wolverine looked around him for a moment before stalking to the front of the cell and kneeling to examine the bars. Behind him, Kristi tossed Jubilee a triumphant glance before they both hurried over to watch.

Wolverine had found a join where the bars met the floor. It would have been near impossible to fashion the bars and floor out of a continuous piece of metal and Wolverine had correctly guessed where the cell's weakest point could be found.

He curled his right hand into a fist. "It's not much of a gap, but if I can get the tip o' one claw in there maybe I can ……" He stopped, frowning at his hand.

"What's wrong?"

Wolverine said nothing, but continued to stare at his fist, his lips drawing back to reveal pointed canines in a feral snarl. Jubilee didn't understand what was happening at first, but Kristi, putting two and two together and coming up with the worst possible scenario, sank down onto the floor behind him and buried her face in her hands.

With a howl of pure rage, Wolverine slammed his fist into the cell bars, the dull ring of adamantium meeting flesh covered adamantium echoing around the cell. When he drew his hand back, his knuckles were bruised and dripping blood. With startling rapidity, the wounds healed and were gone in seconds.

Jubilee stared at his hand, incredulously. "Did you see that? Wolvie, your healing factor's still working!"

"But that's impossible!" Kristi looked up from the floor in confusion. "You told me Wolverine's claws had nothing to do with his mutant ability. Why would his healing factor still be working when his claws aren't?"

"Shaddap, both o' ya, I'm tryin' ta think! Why's it so flamin' hard ta think?" Wolverine shook his head in an effort to clear it and then growled. "It's this damn collar! What's it doin' ta me?" He began to feel around the collar, searching for a catch.

Jubilee stepped forward, anxiously. "Wolvie, I really don't think you ought to mess around with that thing. You don't know what it can do."

But Wolverine wasn't listening. "There's got to be a catch here somewhere, somethin' that allows it ta come off ……"

There was a sudden flash of blue light from the collar, so bright that Jubilee and Kristi threw up their hands to protect their eyes. The light crackled around Wolverine like blue lightening and he writhed in agony in its glow, helpless to resist. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the light was gone and Wolverine dropped heavily to the floor, his clothes smoking slightly.

Jubilee and Kristi rushed forward.

"What the hell was that?"

"Wolvie! Wolvie, are you okay?"

Wolverine slowly sat up, shaking slightly. "Whatever ya do, don't mess with the collars," he growled, dryly.

Jubilee rolled her eyes. "I did try to tell you," she pointed out, needlessly. "I guess that thing packs a punch, huh?"

"Hurt like hell," agreed Wolverine, with a nod. "Well, don't just stand there gawkin', the pair o' ya. Help me up."

With a hand under each arm, Wolverine was duly hauled to his feet. As he was about to dust off his jacket, the outer door opened and he immediately pushed the two girls behind him.

"What the …… ?"

"Quiet!"

Wolverine growled, recognising Gorman and Drake. Both were carrying concussion rifles and looked eager to use them. Then came a bespectacled middle aged man, looking smart in a well pressed suit. He carried a cane to support a weak leg and walked with a slight limp. Following him was a dark haired girl of about Kristi's age, pushing a wheelchair in which sat a small boy. He was thin and sickly looking. Finally came a man wearing combats and carrying a pistol. Wolverine hadn't seen him before, but something about him made him look twice.

The group stopped in the center of the outer room. Gorman and Drake took up flanking positions, covering the cell with their rifles. Jubilee, moving out from behind Wolverine despite his disapproving scowl, snorted. Just how much trouble did they think the mutants could cause without their powers and locked up in a cell? Now, if they were on the other side of the bars it would be a different story. The X-Men were trained to fight without their powers for a situation such as this and Jubilee reckoned she would leave her fair share of bruises behind before they were taken out.

Wolverine waited patiently as the smartly dressed man approached the cell. He wished he still had access to his enhanced senses. A scent could tell him much about a person. But there was no use in wishing for the impossible.

The man took up a stance just in front of the light curtain. "I am pleased to see you are all awake once more and none the worse for your experience. No doubt you have discovered that your cell is quite escape proof. And the collar has provided an effective demonstration against the folly of trying to remove it."

"Wolverine, they could see us!" hissed Kristi, in alarm.

Wolverine shushed her with a gesture. He'd already figured that there must be a camera covering the cell somewhere. Otherwise, why such a timely arrival. He turned back to the suited man. "And you are …… ?"

"My name is Roberts. I own this facility. And now I own you."

Wolverine's eyes narrowed. "We're not chattels, Roberts. We're X-Men."

"Oh, I know perfectly well who and what you are, Wolverine. I know all about you and your abilities, although I must admit your two companions came as something of a surprise. My men weren't expecting them. But I'm sure I'll find a useful purpose for them in time."

"You just try it, buster!" shouted Jubilee.

Wolverine ignored her. "Ya've gone ta an awful lot o' trouble to get me an' keep me here, Roberts. Care ta tell me why?"

Roberts began pacing the length of the cell, glancing at Wolverine every few steps. "I need your healing factor, Wolverine. You see, my boy here has Wayland's Syndrome. As you know, there is no known cure and the disease is eventually fatal. But your healing factor can combat any disease and I intend to use it to save my son."

"My healing factor can't be synthesised," growled Wolverine, in reply. "It's been tried."

"Yes, I know all about Doctor Cornelius' efforts to artificially reproduce your healing factor. I also know he was unsuccessful. But I don't intend to reproduce your healing factor, Wolverine. I intend to use the original product. Your blood."

Wolverine heard Kristi gasp behind him. "The man's a monster," she whispered, for his ears alone.

"I hate ta disillusion ya, Roberts, but my healin' factor don't work that way. It can't be passed on by transfusion."

Roberts stopped pacing and pointed his cane angrily at Wolverine. "You are beginning to try my patience, X-Man. I am a proficient scientist and my son's life is at stake. I will do anything within my power to save him. If there is a way for your healing factor to help my son, I _will _find it." He rested the tip of his cane on the ground and fixed Wolverine with a steady gaze. "Those collars you are wearing are my greatest triumph. You have no doubt discovered how they deny you access to your powers. But in Wolverine's case, they do so much more. Your collar, Wolverine, has been adjusted to cancel out your enhanced senses and also to block the mental impulses sent by your brain to unsheathe your claws. However, your healing factor is quite intact. So I will be able to draw as much blood as I need for my experiments without causing you any lasting harm. Although, rest assured, Wolverine, that if it comes down to my son's life over yours I will sacrifice yours without hesitation.

Lastly, the collars also put out a neural dampening wave, which inhibits telepathic contact and which will keep you, Wolverine, quite docile, allowing me to conduct my experiments safely."

Kristi had heard enough. She stepped forward, hands on hips, her eyes flashing angrily. "Just who the hell do you think you are? Wolverine isn't an animal. He's a man – a hero! You have no right to treat him this way."

"Wolverine is a mutant, that gives me every right." Roberts stepped away from the bars and turned. "This audience is at an end."

He began to walk away, but the girl intercepted him near the door. She spoke to him in hushed tones for several minutes. Wolverine found himself straining to hear as Roberts replied. He had a feeling their conversation was important and involved himself and the girls, but with his senses blocked his hearing was no better than a normal man's.

Jubilee glanced at him worriedly and he took her hand and squeezed it. Despite all her outward show and bluster, she was still only a fourteen year old girl – a girl who should have been cruising malls with her friends and checking out boys, not hooking up with the X-Men and being locked in cells at the whim of madmen. She did her best to put a brave face on things, but Wolverine knew there were times when things got a little too much for her, although she probably wouldn't care to admit it. He had a feeling now was one of those occasions although, knowing Jubilee, she was probably more worried for him than herself.

Roberts finished his conversation and moved back to the cell bars. "My daughter has pointed out that there is no need for the girls to remain in the cell. Without their powers they are no threat to us, so she has requested that they be moved to one of the guest rooms upstairs. They will be under guard at all times, of course, but they will have a relative degree of comfort until I decide what to do with them."

Roberts' words were greeted by an emotional outburst from Jubilee. "Not on your life, buster! We're not leaving Wolverine alone!"

"Jubilee, come here." Wolverine pulled the girl to him. "I need to know you're safe, Jubilee. You must go with him."

"Safe? With this madman? Are you crazy?"

Kristi moved nearer. "I think we ought to do as Wolverine says, Jubilee." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I don't like leaving him anymore than you do, but if we get out of this cell we stand a better chance of finding a way out of this place."

Wolverine nodded gratefully at her. The girl had a good head on her shoulders. He turned back to Jubilee. "Listen ta me, fer once in yer life, Jubilation. I can't go through this an' do what I have ta do with ya both here in the cell with me. If yer here, like as not they'll use ya as a means ta get me ta do what they want, an' there's a chance ya could get hurt. Better that you're both outta the way."

"But ……"

"Jubilee!"

Jubilee scowled, but finally nodded. "Okay. But you take care of yourself, hear? Otherwise I'll want to know the reason why."

Wolverine patted her shoulder encouragingly, then turned back to Roberts. "The girls are ready. But I warn ya, if anythin' happens ta 'em I swear I'll hunt ya down."

"You are in no position to make threats, mutant." Roberts gestured to the guard in combats, who operated a switch on the control panel by the door. The light curtain immediately winked out and a section of the bars rose up into the ceiling, creating a doorway. Drake moved forward to cover Wolverine with his rifle, while Gorman gestured for Jubilee and Kristi to come out.

Both were reluctant to go, but knew it was for the best. If there was any chance for escape they had to take it. Jubilee moved first, but towards Wolverine instead of out of the cell. She flung her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Wolverine returned it in kind, planting a kiss on the top of her head.

"It'll be okay, Jubes," he whispered. "Just hang in there."

Jubilee pulled away and hurried out of the cell before he could notice the tears welling up in her eyes, leaving Kristi to follow. Kristi had almost reached the cell door when she changed her mind and turned back to Wolverine. She took his hand and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "Be safe, Wolverine," she whispered, softly. "We'll find a way out of here, somehow. I promise."

Releasing his hand, she hurried into the outer room after Jubilee, where the guards closed in around them. The cell door came down and the light curtain reactivated. Wolverine moved to the bars to watch as Jubilee and Kristi were herded out, followed by the girl and her brother in the wheelchair. Roberts and the guard in combats were the last out, neither speaking a word.

As the door closed behind them, Wolverine opened his hand and looked down at the object nestled on his palm. For, under cover of kissing his cheek, Kristi had managed to smuggle to him a small metal nail file ……

**NEXT:** Will our heroes cope with their separation? Hey, they're X-Men – right?


	11. Divided We Stand

Hello everyone! You've probably noticed that the story has taken a dark turn now, so I hope you're all still with me! This latest chapter represents a bridging chapter of sorts - sort of like the calm before the storm! Still plenty of angst and drama though!

**Mail Call!** Many thanks to all who have reviewed! Special mention to **HyperEmo** and **angeleyes46** for your words of encouragement!

**nileena: **I was a bit confused by your review! I didn't know if you meant Oh! - as in, that was great! Or Oh! - as in, that was rubbish! I hope it's the first one!

**Sabrielle-X:** Possibly my greatest fan! Thanks so much for your words of encouragement and your interest in my stories! I hope I continue to impress!

Anyway, enough twaddle from me now! Time to let the stars of our show take center stage ..... !

**Divided We Stand**

"Keep movin'."

Jubilee scowled as Gorman poked her in the back with his rifle, but wisely kept her thoughts to herself. She had no doubts at all that he would be more than happy to use the rifle should he feel so inclined. So she bit back the witty retort that was burning a hole in her tongue and moved out of the doorway, allowing Roberts and his family and the remaining guard to exit the cell room. Once in the corridor they turned right and moved away, while Gorman pushed Jubilee and Kristi in the opposite direction.

Jubilee stole a sideways glance at Kristi as they walked. Her team-mate's face was pale, but her lips were set in a determined line and there was a fierceness to her eyes that reminded Jubilee of Rogue the day Remy had accidentally forgotten her birthday. Realising that her friend was probably scared and worried for Wolverine, she reached out and nudged her arm with a fist. Kristi gave her a tight smile in return.

As they were forced through the complex by their two guards, Jubilee experienced a strong feeling of déjà vu. The corridors around them were bare and starkly white, like those of a hospital. Jubilee was reminded of their own lower level corridors, although their shiny metal walls held far more welcome than these sterile ones. Doors leading off at intervals hinted at secret interiors and Jubilee found herself having no desire to know what went on behind them. Judging by Roberts' eagerness to experiment on her partner, she was willing to bet it would be nothing pleasant.

A small elevator at the end of the corridor took them up into a sumptuous oak panelled hallway and again Jubilee was reminded of the mansion. The floor was covered with a rich burgundy carpet and the pieces of furniture that were dotted about looked antique, but well cared for. Roberts was obviously a very rich man. Two large panelled doors, evidently leading outdoors, teased them from the wall opposite the elevator and Jubilee would have made a dash for them had not Gorman prodded her in the back with his rifle to remind her he was there.

They turned right, towards a grand staircase which swept upward in a lazy arc to a balcony which overlooked the hallway. Halfway up the staircase they passed a maid coming down, carrying a vase of spent flowers. She glanced at the two mutants quizzically as she drew nearer, her eyes resting for a moment on the collars. Then her gaze slid across the guards and their rifles and she turned away, her face hard and her knuckles whitening as she gripped the vase tightly. Jubilee stared after her as the maid moved past, finally realising that, wherever they were, she and Kristi were in a whole world of trouble. They were obviously surrounded by people who feared – no, hated – mutants which, although a frightening prospect in itself, led to one possible conclusion; if she and Kristi were going to get themselves and Wolverine out they couldn't rely on any outside help. Escape was going to be down to their own initiative and ingenuity.

Jubilee gritted her teeth in determination as they reached the top of the staircase and were made to turn left by Drake and a prod of his rifle. Her hands curled into fists at her sides and she fought the impulse to swing around and plant one in the smug guard's face. Roberts and his lackeys thought they had them cowed and beat, but they wouldn't be able to keep them powerless forever. Sooner or later, the collars would come off and then she and Wildstar would show them what real unfettered X-Men could do! She grinned deviously to herself at the thought, earning a puzzled glance from Kristi. Jubilee winked at her with a barely perceptible shake of the head, glad that the guards were behind them and couldn't see their silent exchange.

The corridor they were moving down was again wood panelled and lined with portraits and the occasional suit of armour. The carpet underfoot was deep and springy, stopping just short of the walls and revealing richly polished wood floors beneath. Jubilee was beginning to feel like a tourist in a stately home.

At the third door on the right they were brought to a halt by a stern command from Gorman. Drake opened the door and gestured them inside. Glad to be rid of the two guards at last, Jubilee hurried inside, followed a little more hesitantly by Kristi. They both jumped as the door slammed behind them, followed by the sound of a key turning in the lock. Jubilee let out a relieved sigh and moved to the room's single window, looking out into the gathering darkness.

"Look at this!" she declared, huffily, as Kristi walked over to join her. "More bars! What's with this guy? Was Metals R Us having a sale or something?"

"I think he's paranoid," remarked Kristi, acidly. "Only thing is, is he scared of something getting in, or something inside getting out?" She peered out through the bars at the scenery beyond. "Snow! Jubilee, where the hell are we?"

Jubilee leaned over to look, having been too engrossed in the bars to notice what was beyond them. Sure enough, snow was drifting lazily down, adding to the already substantial blanket of white stuff that covered the courtyard below their window.

"I don't think we're in Westchester anymore," offered Kristi, softly. "Where are we, Jubilee?"

"I don't know." Jubilee shook her head, obviously at a loss for ideas. "Somewhere north perhaps? Scotland?"

"Scotland? As in _England?_ Geez! We could be in Siberia for all we know, Jubes." Kristi peered out into the snow. It was difficult to see far in the fading light and the swirling snow didn't help much, but she could make out a line of low buildings on the other side of the courtyard – probably stables or garages. Beyond those were some more unidentifiable buildings, then open fields and finally woodland. To the left and right, intermittent lights gave away the positions of further wings of the main house. Far off to the right, over the rooftops, she could just make out the top of what looked like a snow covered hanger. A private landing field?

Sighing, she turned away from the window, her eyes locking with Jubilee's. Nothing was said but, as one, they both moved away from the wall, one thing uppermost in their minds. A means of escape.

Their guest room wasn't very large, but it was tastefully decorated. One side of the room had been set out as a living area, with a sofa, an easy chair and an ornate coffee table. The other side boasted a bed large enough to sleep three people comfortably. A couple of bedside tables held ornate lamps. As rooms went, it was serviceable and comfortable and reminded Kristi very much of her room at the mansion. A pang of homesickness forced her to push this thought to the back of her mind.

Leaving Jubilee prowling around the main room, she trotted into the en-suite bathroom. The window there had bars too, despite it being far too small for anyone to crawl through. A quick investigation of the cabinet on the wall revealed nothing inside and she returned to the main room to find Jubilee sprawled across the easy chair.

"No way out?" asked her friend.

"No way out," confirmed Kristi, with a dejected nod. She flopped heavily onto the sofa and leaned her head back, closing her eyes against the sudden rush of panic that welled up within her.

Jubilee got up to light one of the bedside lamps. Its soft glow dispelled the gloom of the approaching evening. Regaining her seat once more, the young mutant regarded her friend keenly. "It'll be okay, Kristi. We'll find a way out of here. Things might look bleak now, but the X-Men have been in tougher scrapes than this an' always lived to tell the tale."

Kristi sighed and opened her eyes. "I know, Jubilee. It's just that I feel so helpless locked up in here. No powers, no hope of rescue and God-knows-what about to happen to Wolverine."

Jubilee tried her best to look encouraging. "Hey, Wolvie'll be okay, y'hear? He's a fighter – he'll cope."

Kristi frowned at her and Jubilee grimaced, ruefully. "Not convincing, huh? I thought not." She sighed. "I'm worried about him too, Kristi, but we've got to try and focus on getting out of here. Something's bound to present itself sooner or later – someone leaving the door open, a maid getting sloppy and forgetting a knife – anything! We've just got to keep our eyes open for that opportunity." She glanced around the room and suddenly grinned. "Hey, we could bash someone over the head with the lamp!"

The idea was certainly sound, but Kristi couldn't muster much enthusiasm for it. Jubilee frowned and shrugged out of her yellow duster to reveal a bright red sweater over faded blue jeans beneath. The colour combination was eye jarring.

She threw the duster over the back of the chair she was sitting on and leaned towards her friend. "Come on, Kristi, cheer up. Things could be worse, y'know?"

"How so?" asked Kristi, forcefully. "Tell me, Jubes! Because I feel like a first class traitor sitting up here surrounded by all this comfort, when Wolverine is locked up in a cell." She gestured to the floor at her feet. "I know I said splitting up was for the best, but I didn't realise it would hurt so much." She screwed her eyes shut and Jubilee gave her a few minutes to pull herself together.

"What Wolverine said made a lot of sense," Kristi continued, softly. "I wouldn't put it past one of those guards putting a gun to our heads and threatening to blow our brains out if Wolverine didn't do as he was told. If he's planning on making a break, he didn't need us around to slow him down and cramp his style. To be honest, if escape is possible, I think it's more likely to be from up here than down there in the cell. Wolverine was right – but knowing that didn't make it any easier to leave him."

She bit her lip to stop it trembling and Jubilee smiled weakly. "Wolvie'll be okay, Kristi. We've got to believe that and concentrate on getting us all out of here."

Kristi nodded and turned away to stare out of the window. It was dark now and she could see nothing but the occasional snowflake hitting the glass. Jubilee got up and yanked the curtains closed, muttering something about keeping the night out. When she turned around, Kristi was watching her quizzically.

"Why do you call him Wolvie?"

"What?"

"You always call him Wolvie, Jubilee. Why?"

"Well, it's his name, isn't it?" Jubilee plonked herself down in her chair, wondering if captivity had made her friend suddenly take leave of her senses. "What else would I call him?"

"His name, for one thing. I take it Wolverine is his codename?"

"Well …… yeah."

"So, I repeat: Why Wolvie, Jubilee? He does _have_ a name, doesn't he?"

"Of course he does!"

Kristi sighed and leaned forward on the sofa. "Jubilee, you're really not being very forthcoming here."

Jubilee grinned, guiltily. "I'm sorry, Kristi. It's just that Wolvie's a very …… complex guy, y'know?"

"So you know his name?"

"…… yeah ……"

"And the others?"

Jubilee nodded, wondering where this was heading. "Cannonball calls him Sir," she added, helpfully.

Kristi huffed softly to herself and settled back onto the sofa. "It's alright, Jubilee, I haven't gone crazy. I understand now. Wolverine won't let a person know his name until he's completely sized them up and decided if they deserve to know it or not. Am I right?"

"Well ……" Jubilee nodded, hesitantly. "In a way. But we haven't been keeping his name from you purposely, y'know?" she added, in a rush. "I always call him Wolvie an' the others ……" She cut off as Kristi raised a hand.

"I'm not cross with you, Jubilee. Nor am I going to force his name out of you. But I will tell you this …." She leaned forward, her eyes glowing with an inner fervour. "Nothing would make me happier than if Wolverine told me his name willingly. But for that to happen we are going to have to get out of here. So, Jubilee ….. ?"

Jubilee leaned forward, practically holding her breath. "Yes?"

"Let's make escape plans!"

**oooOOOooo**

The man known as Wolverine – and also, to his friends, as Logan – had experienced a plethora of mixed emotions as his team-mates were led away. He knew it had been the right decision – if the time came and an escape route presented itself, he needed to be able to act freely without the threat of the girls being hurt hanging over his head. Out of the cell, they were safe from being used against him, yet they were also out of his immediate protection. If Roberts decided to hurt them there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. Yet he had to believe it was for the best and trust in the girls' own instincts to keep them safe.

Hunkered down on the floor in a corner of the cell, Logan tipped his head back and allowed his eyes to close, knowing that, even without his enhanced senses, no one could sneak up on him. He was too light a sleeper for that and that came from years of experience and had nothing to do with mutant powers. His internal body clock told him it was late evening, probably an hour or so before midnight. So far, since that initial meeting with Roberts and his goons, he'd seen no one. No food had been forthcoming either and Logan, who hadn't eaten since breakfast that morning, could sense the first stirrings of complaint from his stomach. It didn't concern him much. He'd lived without food before, often for weeks at a time. A few days weren't going to cause him any hardship.

A soft click from the outer door alerted him to the fact that he was no longer alone. He was fully awake instantly, watching warily as two white coated men entered the outer room, followed by two guards. Logan didn't recognise either, but one man – Ferro – had been aboard the chopper that had ferried Logan and the girls back to the base. He took up a position at the control panel while his partner, Crowe, moved to the bars and levelled his rifle at the still seated mutant.

"Stay right where y'are, mutie. Don't move."

"Is this my early mornin' call?" asked Logan, easily. His eyes flicked from one man to the next. He seemed relaxed, but he was highly alert, watching for any sign of weakness from the four men, or the slightest opening he could exploit to his advantage.

Ferro deactivated the light curtain and opened the cell door. Crowe entered first, his rifle unwavering as he pointed it at Logan's head. "Up," he commanded.

Logan didn't see any point in arguing at this stage. He pushed back against the wall and slid up it until he had regained his feet. The two whitecoats entered the cell and he tensed as one slipped a hand into his pocket, bringing it out again to reveal a large hypo-needle. Keeping a wary eye on the whitecoat, Logan glanced behind him to the still open cell door.

"Y'know, yer idea o' room service could do with some work." Logan planted his feet firmly and tensed, ready to spring. He'd only have one shot at this ….. "I've half a mind ta complain ta the manager ….."

"Shaddup, mutie!" Crowe jabbed his rifle into Logan's neck, forcing his head back against the wall. "Ain't gonna take no shit from the likes o' you!"

Logan held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. He could be reckless at times, but he wasn't stupid. He knew he could survive a concussion blast, but at such close range the results would be messy and with his escape route now being cut off by the closing cell door it just wasn't worth taking the risk. He forced himself to relax as the whitecoats advanced

One of them took his arm and pushed back his jacket sleeve, baring his skin. The other plunged the needle deep.

"I hope this hurts, mutie," he snarled.

It did, but Wolverine wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of knowing that. Besides, he'd endured far worse at the hands of Omega Red and the two just didn't measure up.

Keeping his eyes fixed firmly on Crowe's, Wolverine played the part of the passive captive and allowed the first syringe of his blood to be taken.

There would be time for retribution later.

**NEXT: **Help comes in the form of an unexpected ally!

.


	12. Mirage

Hi everyone! Sorry for the later than normal update, but my husband and I have been doing some decorating and I haven't had much chance to get to my laptop! Fortunately, all the painting is done now and the latest chapter is here, better late than never!

**Mail Call:**

**nileena:** Thanks for clarifying the 'Oh' review! Glad you're still enjoying the story!

**sylphxpression:** Good guess! Let's see if you're right ...... !

**HyperEmo:** Don't worry, I have no intention of leaving this little story unfinished!

Now, without further ado, on with the latest installment!

**Mirage**

Psylocke breathed deeply, mentally coaxing her body to relax and her heart-rate to slow, as she reached out with her inner self …… searching …… searching. But it was all to no avail. She could no more sense Logan now than she had the day before on the Blackbird. It was almost as though he had vanished off the face of the Earth.

Sighing, she opened her eyes and looked around her. She was seated cross-legged on the floor of Logan's room, where she had retreated just over two hours ago in the vain hope that being near to his belongings would set up a psychic resonance that would kick start their fading bond. The hope, she knew, had been a desperate one and it hadn't worked.

Uncrossing her legs, she rose gracefully to her feet, running a hand distractedly through her purple tinted hair as she realised there was no reason for staying in Logan's room any longer. It was time to admit the truth – the bond she had once shared with him was gone and, for reasons as yet unknown, she was unable to contact either him or the girls through 'conventional' telepathic channels. Maybe the others had more heartening news?

Striding to the door, she was distracted half way there by the sight of Logan's samurai sword lying across its display stand atop the chest of drawers. She hesitated a moment, drawn by the memory of having once wielded such a blade herself. But this one, she would never touch, at least not without permission, for this was the honour sword of the clan Yashida, entrusted to Logan by his lady, Mariko Yashida. Mariko was gone now, poisoned by an assassin some years before and dying in her lover's arms. The sword had since found itself permanently in Logan's care. Without him, it lacked future and purpose and it was Betsy's fervent wish that he would return safe and well to resume his custodianship.

She let herself quietly out of the room and headed downstairs. Despite the hour, the mansion was quiet around her. Students had been excused training and schooling until the present situation had been resolved and they had wisely decided to keep themselves out of the way, sensing the heightened stress levels and not wishing to be the spark that set off the powder keg. Most of the senior X-Men were occupied with trying to find Logan and the girls, so she met no one as she made her way down to the kitchen where she brewed herself a pot of strong black coffee. Pulling a chair up to the table, she sipped at the hot liquid carefully, letting her mind rove back over the events of the last few hours.

It had been just over twenty four hours since Logan and the girls had gone missing and in the intervening time the X-Men had not been idle. Professor Xavier had immediately manned Cerebro, searching almost non-stop for their missing comrades. Although not as proficient at controlling Cerebro as the Professor, Jean and Betsy had proclaimed themselves his back-up, taking over now and then to allow their mentor to rest. His breaks, however, were short and all too infrequent, and Betsy was worried he may be pushing himself too hard. If the Professor succumbed to fatigue a valuable telepathic link would be lost.

After returning to the mansion in the Blackbird, she and Scott had returned to Salem Center in civilian clothing in order to roam the streets and endeavour to pick up some information. Careful questioning and discreet telepathic scanning on Betsy's part had only revealed the fact that some sort of military group had bombed a well known bar and kidnapped several patrons. This much they had already ascertained for themselves. A number of people remembered a huge maned figure, confirming the presence of Sabretooth, and a helicopter had been used to transport all involved from the scene. It had last been seen heading north, but where it had ended up was anybody's guess.

Early that morning, Scott and Remy had set off with the Blackbird, hoping to turn up some better news. Any establishment that could boast a military team and a helicopter landing pad had to be fairly expansive in size and Cyclops was gambling that such a place would be easily identifiable from the air. He and Gambit had headed north, intending to lay down an organised search pattern and check out every possible location. At this moment, the air search seemed to be their only hope.

Betsy paused and looked up as Ororo entered the kitchen. Dressed in beige pants and a loose navy blue beaded top, she looked every inch the African goddess she had once been proclaimed to be. But there was a tightness around her eyes and her forehead was creased into a worried frown.

"Any luck?" she asked, softly, picking up the kettle and moving to the sink to fill it.

Betsy shook her head, sadly. "Nothing," she admitted, with a frown. "I just don't understand it, Ororo. Jean, the Professor and I are three of the most powerful telepaths on the planet. Between us, especially with our abilities augmented by Cerebro, one of us should have made contact by now."

"I wish I had some of the answers for you, Elizabeth." Ororo opened a cupboard and began gathering the makings for a cup of herbal tea. "Logan is a good friend and all this uncertainty surrounding his disappearance is most upsetting. But we cannot afford to give up – we must keep looking. Logan and the girls are out there somewhere, waiting for us to find them."

"Do you know what bothers me the most, Ororo?" Betsy studied her team-mate over the top of her mug. "It's the fact that the helicopter was last seen going north. North, Ororo. Canada." Her voice lowered almost to a whisper. "What if the Weapon X project has got hold of him again?"

Ororo shuddered as Betsy spoke the words that had been preying on all the X-Men's minds since the direction of the helicopter became evident. She turned away to fuss with her cup and saucer. "The Weapon X project was shut down some time ago, Elizabeth." Her tone was hard and betrayed the effort it took to declare the fact.

"Are you sure about that, Ororo? Really sure? Because all it needs is just one die hard director to slip through the net for the whole sordid operation to start up again."

Ororo shook her head as if to fend off Betsy's words. "Do you honestly think the thought hasn't crossed my mind, Elizabeth? It is just too horrible to contemplate, because if you are right, the Weapon X project hasn't only retrieved Wolverine, they have also got their hands on two young mutants who don't stand a chance against their conditioning."

She put down her cup with a little more force than was necessary, gasping as she suddenly realised she might have cracked it. Betsy stood and hurried to her side, taking the cup out of her hand and slipping her arm around her team-mate's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, luv, I didn't mean to upset you. Go on, you sit down and I'll finish off here."

Ororo nodded and gratefully took Betsy's chair at the table, while the telepath finished off making the cup of tea. She placed the hot beverage in front of her companion and slid her own mug of coffee over to the next seat along.

"My art of making subtle conversation needs a little work," she announced ruefully, in an effort to change the subject. "Open mouth, insert foot. That's me."

Ororo smiled to show she held no hard feelings. "Think nothing of it. We are all feeling the strain of uncertainty taking hold."

"So, were there any further developments while I was upstairs?"

"No, not really." Ororo took a sip of her tea. "Jean has taken over Cerebro and sent the Professor to rest. He's been scanning most of the night and he was exhausted. Scott reported in earlier – he and Remy have found no leads as yet."

"Well, that's certainly not what we wanted to hear."

"They will keep searching, Elizabeth. At least there is some good news I _can _report. Hank arrived home about an hour ago."

"Really? So he cut the lecture short then?"

Ororo nodded. "He said it was the least he could do. He wants to be on hand in case we have need of a doctor when we finally locate Logan and the girls."

She grimaced as she said this and once again the Weapon X scenario loomed between them. The project wasn't known for its kindness towards those it experimented upon and, if their team-mates were truly in its clutches, it was anybody's guess what kind of condition they would be in if and when they got them back.

Ororo broke the spell by setting her cup back on its saucer with a clink. "Well, break over. Time to head down to the War Room. I promised to relieve Rogue."

"I'll come with you," offered Betsy. She gathered up the crockery, rinsing them out under the tap and placing them on the drainer. "I can't really accomplish much up here and sitting around waiting for news will only drive me batty. Maybe I could take over Cerebro for a while?"

"I am sure Jean will appreciate the break," Ororo confirmed, as they left the kitchen together and headed for the elevator. "But try and keep an open mind, Elizabeth. Our friends are out there somewhere and their captors cannot hide them from us forever. We will find them, no matter how long it takes."

Betsy nodded. "I know, Ororo. Thanks. It's just all this uncertainty that's so hard to take. I wish I knew what's happening to them."

"So do I, Elizabeth," responded Ororo, as the elevator doors slid open to admit them. "But wherever they are, at least they are together. Maybe we could take some small comfort from that?"

**oooOOOooo**

The guard stationed outside the mutants' door stood a little straighter as a figure appeared at the end of the hallway, only to relax slightly as he recognised Roberts' daughter. Slender, with short curly brown hair and a pretty heart shaped face, she couldn't

have been more unlike her father if she'd tried. His cruel no-nonsense attitude cowed all but the most brutal of guards into submission, leaving no room for warmth or compassion. His daughter, however, seemed to have inherited all the qualities her father had forsaken, being open and friendly and full of compassion for her fellow man, be they human or mutant. The guard hoped this wouldn't prove to be her downfall. In a base full of mutant haters, a word in the wrong ear could prove fatal.

The girl's normally pleasant face was pulled into a frown as she approached, giving the guard pause for thought. She was carrying a tray, upon which rested a covered plate and two bottles of water and it was this that seemed to be ruining her usual demeanour.

The guard smiled warmly as she drew nearer, hoping for one in return. "Gina, anything wrong?"

Gina set the tray down on the guard's chair with a rattle and straightened angrily, one hand on a hip. "Plenty, Hudson! Would you believe the maids have refused to bring our 'guests' food? And those that will are more than likely to put something nasty in it! Do you believe these people?"

Hudson sighed. He'd warned Gina something like this might happen once they finally got hold of Wolverine, but it had obviously taken the maids' inaction to open her eyes to their treachery. Not that she was so naïve. She knew perfectly well the kind of people she was surrounded by. It was just hard to see their hatred being acted out.

She picked up the tray with a disgruntled huff and moved to the door. "I've made them something myself, so can you let me in?"

"Are you sure?" Hudson frowned and put a restraining arm across the door, despite it still being firmly locked. "These are X-Men you're talking about. Even without their powers, they're not defenceless."

Gina sighed. "Come on, Hudson, I'm not without my own defences, you know? Besides, I can't let them starve, can I?"

"No, I suppose not." Hudson withdrew his arm and made to unlock the door, then paused. "Gina, there's something you should know before you go in there."

"What?"

Hudson took a deep breath. "The lab guys visited Wolverine several times last night."

Gina was aghast. "What, they took blood already?" She snorted at the guard's sullen nod. "Geez, Mark, he's not been here twenty four hours yet and the bloodsuckers are already busy!"

"We knew this would happen, Gina."

"I know that, Mark, but …… well …… it doesn't make it any easier, you know?" She paused, shuffling her feet nervously. "Is he okay?"

"As well as can be expected. Rik managed to slip a blanket to him, so at least he's got some comfort." He hesitated, seeing Gina's sceptical expression and he smiled in what he hoped was an encouraging fashion. "It'll be okay, Gina." He reached out and unlocked the door. "Go. Take their food in. They're probably hungry."

Gina nodded as Hudson unlocked the door, creating a gap just big enough to slide herself and the tray through. Inside, the curtains were still drawn and the room was dark. She peered around as the door clicked shut behind her. "Hello? I've brought food."

A sudden flash of movement sent Gina scrambling backwards as Jubilee erupted from behind the sofa, brandishing a bedside lamp. "Geez!" Suddenly finding her back against the wall, Gina flinched as the lamp came swinging towards her, one bottle of water slipping from her tray and bouncing across the floor. "No, wait! **Wait!** I'm a friend!"

"Jubilee, no!"

Gina's eyes widened as the base of the lamp whistled through the air just inches from her head, as its wielder pulled her swing. Turning angrily, the X-Man planted a hand on her hip and glared at the other girl who Gina could now see standing by the bathroom door.

"For heaven's sake, Kristi ……! We'll never get out of here if you stop me from lamping everyone that comes in!"

"She says she's a friend, Jubilee. I think we ought to listen to her." Kristi moved forward, standing in the middle of the room with arms folded. "Go on …… or I'll set Jubilee loose again."

Gina looked from one to the other, her eyes wide. She hadn't expected this at all._ Hudson was right._ These weren't frightened and cowed captives – they were X-Men, through and through.

She took a deep breath. "I'm not here to hurt you. I brought you some food." She indicated the tray. "Can I put this down?"

Kristi nodded and Gina moved slowly across the room and deposited the tray on the coffee table. Jubilee picked up the fallen bottle of water and held on to it, looking as though she would relish any excuse to throw it at someone.

"How are you feeling?" Gina asked, hesitantly.

Jubilee rolled her eyes. "How the hell do you think we're feeling?" She gestured to herself and Kristi with the lamp she was still holding. "We're not exactly free to come and go, are we? And collars? So not a fashion statement! And my partner is stuck in a bloody cell about to have his blood leeched! So you tell me, how should we be feeling?"

"I'm not your enemy," whispered Gina, stunned by the force of Jubilee's anger.

"No? Well, excuse me if I don't appreciate your particular brand of hospitality."

About to retort, Gina hesitated as Kristi suddenly held up a hand. "Hold on a minute. What's your name?"

Gina bit at her lip, anxiously. She had hoped to gain the mutants' trust before having to reveal her lineage. But she couldn't lie. She had to tell them the truth.

"My name is Gina. Gina Roberts."

"She's his daughter!" Jubilee took a step back as though Gina carried something that was catching. "We can't trust her!"

"Calm down a minute, Jubilee." Kristi studied Gina keenly, and the girl forced herself to meet the X-Man's gaze calmly. It was imperative that she gained their trust and as Kristi was obviously the eldest of the two girls she figured she was the one in charge and therefore the one she had to convince. She smiled, hoping her nervousness wasn't turning it into a grimace.

Kristi came to a decision. "I'm figuring, as Roberts' daughter, you took a great risk coming here." She tilted her head. "Care to tell us why?"

"Because not all of us here agree with what my father is doing." Gina licked her lips nervously and looked back and forth between the two girls. "I'm obviously one of them. There are also two guards."

"And that's supposed to convince us?" Jubilee banged the lamp and bottle down on the coffee table and folded her arms. "I'm sensing a set up here, Kristi."

"I'm telling the truth!" insisted Gina.

"Then prove it!" challenged Jubilee. "We're not gonna trust ya till ya do, an' risk getting ourselves into worse shit than we are now."

"Isn't my word good enough for you?"

"No, basically, it isn't." Jubilee rocked back on one heel and tossed her head. "We've been drugged, caged and collared. Hardly an incentive for trust, is it?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, I haven't got time for all this!" Gina pursed her lips in frustration and then let her breath out in a rush. "I'm a mutant, you idiots!"

Jubilee's jaw dropped.

"You know, I wasn't expecting to have to do this, but ……" She studied Jubilee intently for several seconds, her head tilted in concentration. The air around her suddenly seemed to shimmer, her features blurring and shifting, and then abruptly Wolverine was standing before them, a slight smile on 'his' face.

"A shapeshifter!" Jubilee took an involuntary step back. "Whoa!"

"Yes, in a way," responded Gina. It was weird to hear the girl's soft voice coming from 'Wolverine's' lips. "Oh, hang on a sec – sorry!" Her next words were spoken in Wolverine's gravely tones. "Is that better? Good. Well, anyway, I can't just shift into a shape at will. I have to pull an image of someone from your mind and then I can shift. I call myself Mirage," she added, hesitantly.

The air around 'Wolverine' shimmered once more and then Gina was looking back at them, her eyes wary. "So now you know my secret and the risk I've taken in revealing this to you."

"Well, I wasn't expecting that at all," admitted Kristi. She sat down on the edge of the bed. "I take it your father knows nothing of this?"

"Not likely, he'd kill me. No, really, he would," she added, as she noted Jubilee's sceptical expression. "He hates mutants – all mutants – no matter who they are. He considers them the lowest scum on Earth, not worthy of even calling themselves human. Do you really think he'd tolerate finding out his own daughter had become one of them?"

Jubilee said nothing, still wary, but Kristi came to a decision. She stood and walked over to Gina, holding out her hand. "We appreciate the risk you've taken in revealing your secret to us, Gina. If you are willing to help us, then we are willing to trust you. My name's Kristi. This is Jubilee."

Gina shook her hand. "Jubilee, huh? My father's research mentioned you." Jubilee positively preened at the accolade. "But I don't recall seeing your name," she added, turning to Kristi. "Sorry."

"Don't be," responded Kristi, with a dismissive wave of a hand. "I haven't been with the team very long." She inwardly debated whether to tell her she was a trainee or not, then decided against it. It didn't matter anyhow. "So what's the story with your father? Why's he so obsessed with Wolverine?"

Gina sighed. "He wasn't always so ……" She searched for the right word. "…… self centered. But then, about seven years ago, my brother was diagnosed with Wayland's Syndrome and he changed – he became obsessed with finding a cure. Things weren't going well. Then he heard about Wolverine's healing factor and he became convinced that your friend was the answer to the problem. He was like a man possessed, pouring all his fortune and resources into a facility that would enable him to capture and hold your partner indefinitely. He located black market files on the X-Men – studying them diligently to learn everything he could about Wolverine – trying to find weaknesses or a pattern to his movements – anything he could utilise to his advantage, shunning family and friends in his quest for knowledge. About four years ago, my mother finally gave up the battle to hold her family together and she left. She just couldn't take it anymore."

"So, why didn't you leave too?" asked Jubilee.

"Believe me, I wanted to. But then I realised I could do more good if I stayed here. So I began secretly working against my father's plans – 'accidentally' wiping research on the computers, mislaying materials, that sort of thing. I even sabotaged the collars once – that set him back weeks. But I knew my father would get hold of Wolverine sooner or later, especially when Sabretooth volunteered his services, so I began thinking of ways to get him out. I hadn't reckoned on you two though," she added, with a rueful grin.

"So you do have a plan?" asked Kristi.

"Yes ….."

"But what about the collars?" put in Jubilee. "We can't use our powers with these on."

"Don't worry, I've got it all covered."

"But ……"

"No, I'm not going to tell you what the plan is," interrupted Gina, correctly guessing Jubilee's next question. "The fewer people know of it, the less chance there is of my father finding out. All I'll say is, be prepared to move at a moment's notice."

She turned then, as a soft knock at the door attracted her attention – two knocks, then three, then two again. "That's Hudson. His relief must be on his way. I've got to go." She started for the door, but hesitated part way there. "Look, I don't know when I'll be able to talk to you at length again, but I'll try to bring you food every day, so don't eat whatever anyone else brings you, okay? It might not be safe. My guards are going to look out for Wolverine, so try not to worry about him – they'll make sure he's okay. Oh, and if one of them comes in to talk to you, try not to bash his brains out with the lamp! Their names are Mark Hudson and Richard Coffey. I'll remind them to warn you before they come in. Feel free to brain anyone else. They'll probably deserve it."

"Consider them bashed!" remarked Jubilee.

Gina grinned and tapped lightly on the door. It opened just wide enough for her to slip out, then the door closed and was locked once more.

Jubilee turned to Kristi with an expression of pure disbelief. "Well, what do you think to that?"

Kristi shook her head. "As strange as it may seem, Jubes, I think we've stumbled across the one ray of hope in this whole pit of vipers. Let's just hope she doesn't turn out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing."

**NEXT: **Wolverine gets more than he bargained for when visitors come a-calling!


	13. Uncaging the Beast

Hi, everyone! Another day, another chapter! Hope y'all enjoy!

Many thanks to **HyperEmo** for your most recent review! So Gina may be a good actress, hmm? Only time will tell!

And now, onward ......!

**Uncaging the Beast**

As far as he was able, Logan honestly couldn't remember ever being sick in his entire life. His healing factor saw to that. Of course, his memory was somewhat unreliable, granting him access only to the last ten to fifteen years or so with any surety, starting around the time he had been found prowling around the Canadian wilds by the McDonalds, half mad from hunger and pain. Before that his memories came in disjointed flashes, thanks to the Weapon X project and their conditioning. Even then, he wasn't sure if the things he could remember were real, or false memories implanted to keep him docile. But he was pretty sure he would remember being sick and, try as he might, Logan couldn't recall a single occasion when he'd even felt out of sorts.

By contrast, he'd been pretty banged up plenty of times in his life, but that was different. That was injury sustained in battle and his healing factor always pulled him through the worst of that. But, as he lay curled on the floor of his cell, trying to get some much needed sleep, Logan would have been hard pressed to say he felt fine now and mean it.

The whitecoats came to him at least six times a day and usually several times a night also, ruthlessly denying the X-Man the sleep he so badly needed for his healing factor to do its job and replace the missing blood. The whitecoats were always accompanied by a couple of guards, who proceeded to back him into a corner, allowing the whitecoats to draw enough blood to make a normal man pass out, all the while threatening to activate the blue lightening in the collar if he tried to stop them in any way. Logan didn't try. The cell door had been closed behind the whitecoats and the guard accompanying them each time, leaving one guard outside in the outer room. Even if he succeeded in taking down everyone in the cell with him, there was simply nowhere for him to go. So Logan had decided to bide his time and wait for the right opportunity. One day a mistake would be made and he would be ready for it. It was as inevitable as the tide. And he was an extremely patient man, when the situation called for it.

Logan groaned, fighting a wave of dizziness that swept over him like a tidal surge. The room seemed to spin around him, and he was pretty sure he would have been on his knees by now if he hadn't already been lying down. His healing factor was working overtime to compensate for the blood loss, but he felt weak and light headed. Worse, the neural dampener in the collar was making him feel nauseous. For the Wolverine, this was a unique feeling.

Growling, Logan closed his eyes against the glare of the bright cell lights, shuffling round to put his back to the open wall. His body clock told him it was probably sometime after two in the morning, but the lights still glared out at full intensity, just as they had since he had arrived. Obviously, he was being watched and his guards didn't want him getting up to anything under cover of darkness. Had they been so inclined, the cameras could have been fitted with infra-red filters, allowing Logan the luxury of sleeping in darkness, but he honestly didn't think his jailers had had his comfort in mind when they designed his accommodation.

Or maybe that wasn't entirely true …… Logan allowed his mind to drift back two nights, just after his arrival. The whitecoats had just taken their first batch of blood. Feeling edgy and frustrated, Logan had paced the cell bars for a time, resembling a caged tiger, until fatigue and common sense had finally forced him to seek sleep. He had just settled down on the floor, using his jacket for a pillow, when the outer door opened once more and a lone guard entered. He deactivated the light curtain and then walked slowly towards the bars, arms spread to show he carried no weapons, although there was something draped over one shoulder. That something turned out to be a blanket, which he pushed through the bars for Logan to take. Logan had hesitated and eyed it warily for a moment, unsure whether this was a trick or not. Not for the first time he wished for the return of his enhanced senses, which would tell him much about the guard's intentions. Finally deciding to go for it and to hell with the consequences, Logan cautiously reached out and pulled the blanket to him. The guard had smiled, nodded once and left, reactivating the light curtain on his way out.

So now, two nights later, Logan once again found himself trying to sleep in a cell which boasted no physical comfort whatsoever. He had folded the blanket in half, so that he could lie on one half and fold the rest over himself, but the floor was still hard and cold beneath him and the collar chafed his neck. He remembered the days when he had slept in the Canadian wilds with just his jacket for a pillow and the open sky for a blanket and had never wished for more comfort than that. His years with the X-Men had made him soft. Not that his team-mates would agree. To them, he was still the gruff loner, who would rather fight his way out of a disagreement than submit to negotiation. But he knew he had changed, deep inside, where it mattered – where the Wolverine side of him still lurked. The beast was chained, buried deep down inside him where it couldn't get out and hurt anyone. It strained against its bonds, testing the confines of its prison, eager to be released – Logan could feel it now, howling for the freedom that the cell bars and his own determination denied it. But Logan wasn't going to give in to it – that would be too easy. He was getting more adept at keeping the darker side of his psyche buried away, allowing the man to flourish. The animal side of him mourned what had been lost, yet a saner part of his mind argued that he was a better man because of it. Regaining his humanity had been an uphill struggle but, now that he had it, he wasn't going to let it go. The new Wolverine was part of a family, was capable of loving and caring, yet could still draw on the animal within him if he needed to. And if he slipped up and allowed the beserker to take over, he could always rely on the love of his family, the X-Men, to draw him back from the depths.

He turned over onto his back and gazed up at the ceiling. _Love. Now there's a funny thing. _The old Wolverine would never have been capable of love, would never have allowed it to cloud his feelings. Yet the moment he had joined the X-Men he had been smitten by the one woman he would never be privileged to call his own – Jean Grey, the Phoenix. And the odd thing was, she loved him in return, had even admitted it on several occasions. Yet Logan knew their love would never be realised. Jean had made her choice and it was Scott she would marry, not Logan.

Logan had eventually found love in the arms of Mariko Yashida. They had planned to marry but, on their wedding day, at the altar, Mariko called a halt to the proceedings. Unbeknown to the X-Men, she had fallen under the control of Master mind, who proceeded to use her to advance his own foul plans. Once he had been discovered and defeated, Logan had proposed once more, but Mariko, stricken with guilt at what she had done whilst under Mastermind's control, begged to be allowed to regain her clan's honour before she could consider taking Logan as her consort. But that day never came. She died in her lover's arms, poisoned by a mortal enemy.

Jubilee loved him. And in his own way, he loved her back, but more in the capacity of a father/daughter relationship. And now into the mix had come Kristi. He had known she was attracted to him the moment he saw her. His enhanced senses had picked up the quickening of her heart-rate right from the offset. Ordinarily, even this slightest of signals would have been enough to set him off flirting with the girl, but she was a trainee and, apart from the one time in the Danger Room when he was teaching her how to shoot, he had decided to leave well enough alone. He wasn't in the running right now for a relationship, be it innocent flirting or otherwise.

Jubilee obviously disagreed, which was why she had set up the whole 'needing a lift into town' scenario. Which was what had got them into this mess in the first place. Logan made a mental note to give his partner a serious dressing down when they finally made their escape. Maybe a few hours engaged in one-on-one training in the Danger Room would teach the firecracker the error of thinking she knew better than her elders?

Yet, despite knowing that a relationship wasn't on the cards, Logan found that he couldn't get Kristi out of his mind. To her credit, the girl had impressed him when they were attacked in the bar, rising to the challenge admirably and giving as good as she got. He didn't know what had happened to her after he went down but, knowing Sabretooth as well as he did, he guessed it wasn't friendly. And the outcome made it glaringly obvious, otherwise she and Jubilee would now be safe and well back at the mansion. That she had stood up to Sabretooth at all, regardless of the outcome, scored the girl plenty of points in his book. She had spirit, that much was certain.

It was with thoughts of Kristi running through his head that Logan finally drifted off into an uneasy sleep. Unfortunately, he wasn't allowed to rest for long. The outer door suddenly banged back against the wall as three whitecoats stepped into the outer room, followed by four guards.

Startled, Logan rolled over onto his side. "What the hell …… ?"

As the light curtain deactivated, Frost raked his rifle along the cell bars. "Rise an' shine, mutie. Yer goin' on a little trip."

Logan climbed unsteadily to his feet as the cell door opened. "Trip?"

Two of the guards preceded the white coated men into the cell. They seemed almost eager, obviously looking forward to whatever was about to happen to him. Logan narrowed his eyes, warily, and then suddenly noticed that, in their haste, they had left the cell door open. Since their first visit several nights ago, it had always been closed behind them by their man at the outer door. But he had moved forward slightly, eager to watch, and forgotten all about it. Logan quickly glanced away so as not to draw attention to it and began to back slowly away from the men. If he was going to act and make it count, he had to have the upper hand.

One of the whitecoats produced a hypo-needle and began to advance. "Come now, mutant, surely you expected this? Did you honestly believe that Mr Roberts would pass up the chance to study you – to find out what makes you tick?"

"What makes me tick?" Logan held up his hands. "Now wait a minute. This wasn't part o' the deal."

His back was to the corner now. The guards and whitecoats could only come at him from one direction, which suited him just fine. The man with the hypo advanced slowly, drawing out the tension, confident that Logan posed no threat. As he raised his arm to inject Wolverine in the neck, the X-Man suddenly leapt into action. Grabbing the man's arm, he yanked it down and around, hearing a satisfying crack and a sharp yelp of pain. At the same time, he drove his knee up into the man's solar plexus and, as the whitecoat doubled over, he vaulted over him and was already heading for the first of the guards before the scientist hit the floor.

To his credit, Wolverine managed to deck one guard before a rifle butt crashed into the back of his head, sending him sprawling to the floor. Before he could struggle to his feet, his collar was activated and the blue lightening flashed around his body. He writhed in agony in its glow, while guards and whitecoats alike stood over him, watching in satisfaction. The pain seemed to go on forever – never in his life had Wolverine felt anything so intense, except for, perhaps, the day his adamantium had been forcibly inserted into his body. Dimly, he was aware of a guard, Drake, helping the injured whitecoat from the room. Then pain crashed down and everything else was a blue haze ……

Then finally, mercifully, the pain stopped. Wolverine gasped for air, his clothes scorched and smoking slightly. Crowe stepped nearer, brandishing the collar remote, and prodded him with the toe of his boot.

"That was for Frost, mutie. Try that again an' I'll be only too pleased ta give ya another taste."

But Wolverine couldn't have 'tried' anything if he had wanted to. His head was reeling from the shock of the assault and every nerve in his body was screaming in agony. Shakily, he tried to raise himself up on one arm, but Crowe's boot in the small of his back pushed him back down again. Dazed and battered, he could only lie there and watch as another whitecoat approached with the rescued hypo.

"For what you've done to Peters, I hope they make you suffer," he hissed, as he pushed the needle home. The contents of the hypo coursed into Wolverine's blood stream.

Weak and battered as he was, Wolverine had no hope of combating the strong sedative. Within seconds, he was unconscious.

**oooOOOooo**

Consciousness returned slowly, like fragments of a dream. Trying to raise an arm, he discovered that he couldn't move and, as his mind slowly cleared, he realised that he was strapped, bare to the waist, onto some sort of operating table. Restraints around his ankles, waist, neck and wrists held him securely down. Focussing his energy, he strained against the one holding his right arm, but it held fast. Twisting his head slightly, he could just see that it was made of metal. No doubt it was adamantium.

His field of vision was limited, but he knew he was in some sort of lab. A huge multi-facetted light, currently turned off, was suspended above him and he could smell the sharp tang of chemicals. Disembodied voices whispered to each other somewhere out of sight and he heard the metallic rattle of surgical equipment being prepared. Footsteps sounded nearby and he strained to see what was happening, but the band across his neck held him too tightly.

_Restrained …… voices in the dark …… pain …… _A sudden memory blotted out his vision and an involuntary groan escaped his lips.

"He's awake." The voice came from somewhere behind and slightly to his left. He heard the sound of a button being pressed. "Mr Roberts, the sedative has worn off. It was administered before his collar was adjusted to cancel out his healing factor and it seems to have been negated faster than we expected. I will prepare a new dose."

"You will not." Roberts' voice came from speakers set into the ceiling above him and Wolverine realised there must be an observation booth overlooking the lab, although he couldn't see it. "Proceed."

"But without the sedative ……"

"I said, proceed! He has injured a guard and put one of my scientists in the sick bay. He deserves no favours. Continue as planned."

"Yes, Sir."

The whitecoat's footsteps moved away. Wolverine heard a throaty chuckle issue from the speaker above him and his blood ran cold. Sabretooth! Sabretooth was watching this! A low growl rumbled way down in his chest.

The light above him suddenly flared on and Wolverine squeezed his eyes shut against the glare. As he tried to twist his head away from the light, he was suddenly gripped by an inexplicable feeling of terror. _…… Pain …… helplessness …… mindless rage …… _His heart-rate quickened as the memories intensified, forcing another growl past his lips, and with a howl of despair he realised he was losing control. He was going feral – the Wolverine was taking over, as the nightmare images flashed forth to overwhelm him. _…… Dark lines mapping out his skeleton …… the flash of light off scalpels …… white coated men leaning into his line of vision like dispassionate ghosts …… _and overwhelming all the images, pain. Unimaginable pain.

Panting heavily, eyes wide with remembered horror, Wolverine strained against the restraints, muscles standing out across his chest with the effort. He was so caught up in his nightmare that he didn't notice the men moving towards him until they were right beside the table. He flinched as one of the men put a hand on his chest in an effort to calm him.

"Let's get this over with. His heart-rate is going crazy. It's a miracle he hasn't arrested."

"I don't think Mr Roberts would care if he did." It was the whitecoat who had protested earlier about not using sedative, but Wolverine was too far gone to notice. The man glanced upwards at the observation booth, receiving an impatient glare from Roberts. He turned back to Wolverine, who was growling softly, and sighed. "I really hate doing this. He may be a mutant, but he still has feelings when all's said and done. Blood is one thing, but this ……" He shook his head, sadly. "Hand me the scalpel, Rogers. The sooner we start, the sooner this will be over for him."

The scalpel was duly handed over and the whitecoat moved closer to the table, placing a hand on Wolverine's arm to steady it. Wolverine went still at his touch, like a trapped animal, his sightless eyes seeing only his inner demons.

The scalpel came down, cutting into unprotected flesh, and Wolverine howled as a strangely familiar presence slipped into his mind. And suddenly he was no longer alone ……

**NEXT: **Night terrors!


	14. Night Terrors

Hi everyone. t'is me again! Thanks to everyone who left reviews for the last chapter! I'm finding that I'm becoming addicted to them, so the more the better!

sabrielle-x - this chapter is for you! Another clue to the weird 'something' between Wolvie and Kristi! Enjoy!

Onward! Our story awaits ...... !

**Night Terrors**

It had been another boring and unproductive day. Jubilee and Kristi were not dealing with their forced captivity well. Jubilee, especially, was finding it difficult to cope. Normally such an energetic and active individual, the hours of tedium were weighing heavily upon her. Trying to remain positive, she forced herself to practise gymnastic moves each day on a rug in the middle of the room, which went some way towards easing the monotony. She had even tried to coax Kristi into joining her, but her companion refused to be persuaded, saying that she didn't have the suppleness that the younger X-Man had. Jubilee wasn't fooled. She knew her friend was fretting over Wolverine, could see her concern for their feral team-mate written plainly in her eyes, and in the dejected set of her shoulders as she sat staring out at the snow. Kristi was rapidly falling into depression and there was nothing Jubilee could do to help her.

Gina managed to call each day with food, but her visits were infrequent and short. Hudson and Coffey were doing their best to cover for her, but they couldn't be everywhere at once and she hardly had time to hand a tray through the gap in the door to the two X-Men before she had to dash off again. In a way, she was glad of this, as her father's demands were weighing heavily on her mind. Thinking that she was interested in the proceedings of finding a cure, he was asking her to spend more time with him in the lab, an occupation which she found extremely distasteful. Knowing that the blood the scientists were poring over so gleefully came from a fellow mutant incarcerated only yards down the hallway, made her feel physically ill. Once, when the whitecoats and their parade of guards had set off to procure more, she had felt so disgusted by the whole affair that she claimed a headache brought on by the chemical fumes and hurried off to take a long walk in the snow. Her home was rapidly becoming a place that she so desperately needed to get away from.

Facing the two X-Men was becoming increasingly hard for her to do, as she felt guilty for what her father was putting their team-mate through, despite all her intentions to help. Her mind would have been eased somewhat if she had known that Jubilee had finally put her doubts to rest and decided to bestow her trust on the young mutant. As long as Gina was prepared to help her beloved Wolverine, then Jubilee was willing to trust in her, at least until she manufactured their escape. The lack of news, however, was driving her crazy. So far, they were no nearer to escape than they had been the day they first arrived. Gina had not been able to stay in the room with them for longer than five minutes on her subsequent visits and the only news they had received on Wolverine's condition was that he was grouchy but well. If Jubilee had had command of her powers, the room would probably have been a smoking mess by now.

It was with heavy hearts that the two girls prepared for yet another night of sleep. They had taken to sleeping on top of the bed fully dressed, simply pulling the comforter over the top of themselves for warmth. Gina's admonition to be ready to move at any time was upper most in their minds.

Sleep had not come easily to them on previous nights, the girls being too pent up and anxious to allow their bodies to succumb. But lack of rest finally took its toll and Jubilee found her eyes sliding shut as Kristi dozed fitfully beside her. Her last thoughts as she drifted off, were of home ……

**oooOOOooo**

"No, please! Oh, God, please no!"

The agonised cry jerked Jubilee from a dreamless sleep. Disoriented, she fought against the confining folds of the comforter, before finally pushing herself free and reaching for the bedside lamp. She almost knocked it over in her haste, but at last managed to find the switch, illuminating the room in a soft glow that was in harsh contrast to the piercing cry that had awakened her.

Kristi was sitting up on the bed, her arms wrapped tightly around her chest as she rocked herself gently too and fro. Her eyes were wide, and staring seemingly at nothing as Jubilee reached out tentatively to put a hand on her shoulder.

"Kristi? Kristi, are you okay?"

"Scared," Kristi whispered back, through teeth that were chattering. "Don't leave me, Jubilee."

"I'm not going to leave you," Jubilee assured her friend, gently. "Did you have a nightmare or something?"

Kristi shook her head, distractedly. "No, I …… I wasn't really asleep." She moaned softly, reaching out to Jubilee with trembling hands. "So frightened. Something's not right. Help me, Jubilee. This isn't me."

Jubilee allowed Kristi to catch her hand – her fingers were like ice and wrapped around Jubilee's own with a death grip. "You're freezing, Kristi!" She knelt up on the bed to put a hand to the other girl's forehead. "Are you coming down with something?"

Kristi swatted her hand away. "There are voices in the shadows," she hissed, peering around the semi-darkened room. "Don't let them come any closer."

"There's no one here, Kristi. Just us." Jubilee rocked back on her heels slightly as Kristi wrapped her arms around herself once more and tried to scoot further up the bed. "Are you ill? I bet it was that chicken sandwich you had earlier. I'll kill Gina when I see her!"

Kristi suddenly flung out a hand as if to ward something off. "No! Stay away! Don't touch me!" She finished with a growl that would have done Wolverine proud.

Jubilee's face paled. "Okay, you're really starting to scare me now! This isn't funny any more, Kristi! Cut it out!"

"Tied down …… can't move." Kristi moaned and shook her head. "Light …… bright light ……" She squeezed her eyes tightly shut. "No! Not me …… this isn't me! What's happening to me?" She spread her shaking hands before her. "There are lines on my body."

"You're not tied down, Kristi. You're awake, but still in your nightmare, that's all." Jubilee took one of Kristi's hands once more. "See? No lines, Kristi. Come on, wake up now." She paused then, frowning. "Hang on. Lines? Kristi, do you see lines drawn on your body? Mapping out your bones?"

"Pain …… cutting …… heat." Kristi was shaking visibly now and staring once again at the things only she could see. "Men …… in the shadows."

Jubilee grabbed her shoulders. "Kristi, those are Wolverine's memories! Are you in contact with Wolverine? Is he having a nightmare?"

Kristi snarled and actually snapped at Jubilee's hand. Jubilee pulled back with a startled cry just as Kristi let out an agonised yell, snatching her left arm to her side and cradling it against her. "No! It hurts! So much pain! Jubilee, they're cutting me!"

"Kristi …… Kristi, I don't know what to do!"

A key sounding in the lock distracted the young mutant and she turned from her distraught friend just in time to see a curly haired guard stepping through the doorway. "What the hell's going on in here?"

Jubilee grabbed for the lamp and the guard flung out a hand. "No, wait! I'm with Gina! My name's Richard Coffey!"

Jubilee considered a moment, then set the lamp down with a thump. "Okay ……"

Coffey shut the door behind him and hurried to the bed, where Kristi was whimpering and writhing under the comforter. "What's the matter with her? Is she having a nightmare?"

Jubilee wrung her hands, helplessly. "I don't think so. I think she's somehow in contact with Wolverine."

"With Wolverine?" Coffey looked puzzled. "Is she a telepath?"

"No." Jubilee shook her head. "I think this is something different."

"The collars wouldn't allow telepathic contact anyway." Coffey sat on the edge of the bed and put his hands on Kristi's shoulders as she groaned and twisted from side to side. "Easy, girl. It's okay. No one's going to hurt you."

"So much pain," she whispered, tears running down her cheeks. "Help me ……"

"We can't leave her like that," declared Jubilee, her heart going out to her friend. "Do something!"

"Do what?" demanded Coffey. "I'm not a doctor. And I'm not used to dealing with mutants."

"Oh, so _you _think we're freaks, too?" remarked Jubilee, sitting back on her heels and folding her arms, huffily.

"No! I didn't mean it that way. I meant that you all have unique talents that I know nothing about, that's all." He ran a hand distractedly through his dark curly hair. "Look, there is one possibility ……"

"What?"

"Those of us who guard your door are given a sedative to use, should either of you become unruly ……"

"What, you want to drug her again?" Jubilee was aghast. "I thought you were on our side."

"I am, but do you honestly want to leave her like that all night?" Coffey indicated Kristi with a nod of his head. She was still crying and whimpering, lost in her own internal nightmare, her left arm constantly cradled to her chest as she writhed in imagined agony. "She's going to hurt herself if you leave her like that for much longer. It's your choice."

Jubilee looked to her friend. She was suffering, and Coffey had a solution for easing that suffering, but could she honestly make that choice for her? If Kristi was truly connected to Wolverine and he was having a nightmare, she could gamble that he should come out of it soon and Kristi would return to normal, but again, could she really take that chance?

Biting her lip in frustration, she looked anxiously too and fro between Coffey and Kristi, searching for answers, for the right thing to do. Then, abruptly, she made her decision.

"Do it!"

Coffey nodded, and reached for a pouch attached to his belt, from which he produced a hypo-needle. He checked quickly to make sure it was operational and then pressed it to Kristi's neck, sending the contents coursing into her blood stream. Kristi moaned softly, then gradually her whimpering eased and her body stilled, until she slipped gently into a deep sleep.

Coffey brushed her hair back from her face with tender fingers. "She'll be out for a while, so let her sleep. I'll get Gina to check on you both in the morning."

He got to his feet and made to go, but Jubilee reached out to grab his arm. "Wait! Will you do me a favour?"

"If I can. I'm not making any promises."

"Could you check on Wolverine for me? Kristi seemed to be reliving his memories and if he's having a nightmare, he may have slipped over and gone feral. I know there's not much you can do, but just make sure he doesn't hurt himself, okay?"

Coffey nodded, taking her meaning instantly. "I'll get Hudson to look in on him," he promised. He patted her hand. "I'd better go. If someone walks by and I'm not at my post, my cover'll be blown."

"Thanks for your help," whispered Jubilee.

"Anytime." Coffey moved to the door and cautiously let himself out. Once in the hallway, he quickly checked left and right to make sure all was still quiet, then locked the door behind him. Then, activating his communications headset, he programmed Hudson's frequency and waited for the other guard to answer.

"Yeah?"

"Mark, it's Rik. Listen, I've just left our 'guest's' room. One of the girls was having some sort of seizure and the kid thinks she was linked to Wolverine and that he might be having a nightmare. Can you drop by and check on him?"

"Negative, Rik, he's not in his cell."

"Not in his cell? Where the hell is he?"

As Hudson proceeded to tell Coffey where the feral mutant was, Coffey sank slowly down onto his chair, his face white with shock. "Oh, Lord …… "

**oooOOOooo**

Wolverine was barely conscious as the two guards manhandled him back to his cell. They pushed him roughly through the door, laughing as he stumbled and fell heavily. Then they secured the cell and left, joking heartily between themselves, totally oblivious to the pain and suffering being inflicted on a fellow human being.

For a long time, Wolverine lay motionless, drifting on the edge of consciousness. He was aware of an acute pain in his left arm, but didn't even have the strength to roll over and see what had been done to him. For most of the 'operation' he'd been gripped by nightmarish visions of another time when men in white coats had cut into his flesh and caused him pain which, in turn, had caused him to go feral, during which his memories of the operation were mercifully absent.

Finally, he mustered the strength to move and began to crawl slowly and painfully across the floor towards his jacket and blanket. The guards had thrown his shirt in after him and he paused to gather it up before collapsing onto his blanket.

In the brief second before he passed out, his mind cleared and the presence he assumed he had been imagining all through his time under the knife reasserted itself once more. Like a drowning man, he clutched hold of the fragile lifeline, pulling it close and holding it tight, finally able to discern the mind behind the rapport.

"Kristi ……" he gasped. Then oblivion claimed him once more and he crashed down into merciful blackness ……

**NEXT: **More questions than answers!


	15. The Absence of Silence

Hi everyone! I'm back!

**Mail Call:**

**Hobbes221:** Welcome aboard! And congratulations on being the only one so far to have worked out the 'secret' of the guard's names!

**HyperEmo: **Please don't be confused! Hopefully this chapter will go a long way to clearing up some of your questions!

And now, onward ..... !

**The Absence of Silence**

The palomino whickered softly as she stroked the soft, velvety nose, shoving at her hand in the hope of a treat. Gina chuckled and reached into her coat pocket for a sugar lump, holding it out on a flattened palm for the horse to take. It waggled its head for more as Gina made to move away.

"You're a greedy mare, Tirza, did you know that?" The horse merely snuffled at her hand and Gina relented with a smile. "Alright. One more. But that's it. The others deserve a treat too."

Humming softly to herself, Gina took her time moving between the remaining four horses, giving them each a treat and spending some time to fuss each one. She enjoyed being around them – their peacefulness and innocence were a stark contrast to the goings on in the main house. But her presence in the stable had another far more important reason than simply giving the horses treats. It also gave her guards a place to talk to her, if needed, in safety. Her father avoided the stables whenever possible – he liked to ride, but did not enjoy the work that went with owning horses, so he employed grooms for that. This ensured that it was highly unlikely to find him snooping around the stables. The other guards had more important tasks than checking out the livestock, so Gina had taken to visiting them for a few minutes each morning, at exactly the same time, so that Hudson and Coffey knew exactly where to find her if they had something important to discuss. Sometimes they turned up, sometimes they didn't, but Gina was always waiting.

She turned as the soft creak of the stable door heralded someone's arrival and Hudson came slipping in, bringing a flurry of snow with him. Several horses snorted indignantly at the blast of cold air and Gina smiled. She liked the tall guard with the soft brown eyes and friendly smile, although that smile was not evident as he stalked across the stable to join her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, fearing the worst.

"We had trouble last night." Hudson didn't mince his words.

"Oh, God, no. What happened?"

"Guards tried to take Wolverine down to the lab. Wolverine made an escape attempt. He put one scientist in sick bay and broke Frost's nose before they took him down."

Gina's face paled visibly. "Is Wolverine okay?"

Hudson hesitated slightly, his face grim. "I won't lie to you, Gina. He's not good. Crowe fried him with the collar. There wasn't much fight left in him after that." He paused and kicked angrily at a bale of hay. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to help him, Gina. I'd been assigned to a different section of the complex and I didn't know what was happening until it was too late."

Gina smiled, weakly. "It's okay, Mark, it's not your fault. You can't be everywhere at once. And if you'd tried to stop it, you'd probably have blown your cover anyway." She frowned, suddenly remembering something Hudson had said. "Wait a minute. Why on Earth were they trying to take Wolverine to the lab? Was there something wrong with him?"

Hudson shook his head, grimly. "I was hoping you wouldn't ask me that, Gina," he admitted, with a grimace. "Your father wanted to know how Wolverine's claw housings worked."

He said nothing more, leaving Gina to work out the rest for herself. As the implications of Hudson's words sank in, she lowered herself slowly down to one of the hay bales, her eyes wide with horror.

"Oh Lord, Mark! They cut his arm open!"

Hudson nodded and Gina moaned, putting her head in her hands. "God, how could he do it, Mark? How could my own father be so cruel?" She raised her head and Hudson could see tears glistening in her eyes. "I don't care what the news people say, Mark, the X-Men are good people. They're not outlaws or criminals, and my father has no right to treat them like this. I hate him!"

Hudson moved forward and patted her shoulder awkwardly, having no idea how to console a distraught female. He knew his next words were going to be no comfort whatsoever.

"I'm afraid that's not the end of it, Gina."

"Oh Lord, what now?"

"Rik had to sedate one of the girls last night. It appears that she somehow …… linked to Wolverine. What he experienced, she experienced also."

Gina's hand flew to her mouth in horror. "Oh no! How the hell …… ?" Her lips set into a grim line. "So it all boils down to the fact that my father isn't torturing one X-Man – he's torturing two."

"It seems that way."

"But my father's research said nothing about Wolverine being linked to anyone."

"Well, if it's any consolation, the girls seemed confused by it too."

"Which one it it?"

"The eldest."

"Kristi?" She paused a moment. "She said she hadn't been with the team long. I wonder if that's a clue?"

"To what?"

"I don't know, Mark. But if you can keep my father off my back this morning, I'll see if I can get into his files again and find out."

Hudson nodded. "That'll be easy. There's a storm coming in. Your father and a number of guards are going over to the airfield to secure the choppers."

"Good. Let's get moving."

"Wait, Gina." Hudson put out a hand to stop her rush towards the door. "I have further news."

"Do I want to hear it?"

Hudson smiled, encouragingly. "I think you'll find this interesting. It's Ferro's birthday tomorrow night. Some of the guards are throwing a surprise party. Coffey an' me, we've volunteered for guard duty so that the other guys can go. Meaning there'll only be one other guard on duty tomorrow night."

"You're kidding?"

"No, I'm not. If you're going to make the break, tomorrow's the night to do it."

"Can Wolverine travel?"

"He's not in good shape, I'll admit. He was unconscious when I knocked off this morning, but I think that's his healing factor's way of dealing with all the damage that's been done to him. Regardless, if you're going to move, tomorrow's your best chance."

"Okay. I trust your judgement, Mark. We'll take our chances with Wolverine. I'll leave the security to you and Rik, but I'll need you with me when we move. I need you to back me up."

"Of course."

"Then we're all set." Gina patted Hudson's shoulder. "We move at midnight tomorrow."

**oooOOOooo**

Jubilee propped her chin in her hands, gazing out of the window at nothing in particular, her mind focussed on the happenings of the previous night. She hadn't slept a wink since Coffey had left, too concerned with the welfare of her friend to allow sleep to overcome her. Instead, she had pulled the easy chair over to the bed and stayed there, watching over Kristi with a maturity starkly at odds with her tender years. Kristi, however, had slept peacefully, unaware of her friend's vigil, with just the occasional twitch or whimper to show that whatever she had experienced was still active. Now, with the coming of dawn, Jubilee had pulled the chair over to the window to watch the arrival of the new day, one that she suspected heralded new beginnings for both Kristi and Wolverine. She had no idea what had happened between them but, knowing the X-Men's uncanny knack for attracting the unusual, she guessed it wasn't going to be something as simple as a shared nightmare.

Stifling a yawn, she forced her eyes to stay open, wanting to be alert for when her friend awoke. Her breath on the window formed a little steamy patch and she idly drew a heart in it, adding her own initials and a question mark before dashing it out with her fist and gazing out at the courtyard below. It had stopped snowing, but dark clouds on the horizon hinted at more to come. Several sets of footprints led to and from the stable, but no one was in sight.

A soft groan from behind her sent her haring to the bedside, where Kristi was putting a tentative hand to her forehead. Jubilee sat on the edge of the bed, regarding her friend anxiously. "Kristi! Are you okay?"

"I would be, if people would stop sticking needles in me," her friend grumbled.

Jubilee's eyes widened. "You remember that?"

"I remember everything, Jubes, I just don't understand." She sat up slowly, hugging the comforter to her. "What the hell happened?"

"I don't know for sure. At first, you seemed to be having a nightmare. Then you started talking about stuff that I know for a fact are Wolverine's memories."

"I remember." Kristi shuddered at the memory. "So much pain …… and the sheer terror. How does he live with that every day?"

Jubilee shrugged. "He's learnt to control it, I guess, but sometimes it all resurfaces when he sleeps. You obviously tapped into that last night. You gave me a scare," she added, with a grunt.

"Sorry. I wasn't completely in control of myself."

"S'okay. Just don't do it again, y'hear? Wolvie's growl coming from you is downright creepy!"

Kristi was inclined to agree. But she promised to control herself in future and grinned at her friend, reaching out to squeeze her hand. She had millions of questions, not the least of which was why she had linked with Wolverine in the first place, but she suspected Jubilee wouldn't have the answers to them either. She had already given the young mutant a substantial scare and had no desire to add to her insecurities. So she smiled encouragingly and tried to put a brave face on things, all the time attempting to ignore the strange flutterings in her stomach and the vague feeling that something wasn't quite the same.

A soft tap at the door announced the arrival of Gina. Coffey peered around the door anxiously, his face breaking into a smile as he noticed Kristi sitting up on the bed. Jubilee waved at him and he grinned and ducked back out of sight, closing the door softly.

"Doesn't that guy ever sleep?" asked Jubilee, as Gina trotted over to join them. "He was here last night."

"He's been off duty and come back on again since then," declared Gina, easily. "It's probably a lot later than you think." She checked her watch. "It's just after noon."

"Cripes, I've been sittin' in that chair all morning!"

Gina laughed and leaned on the bed. "Hey, Kristi! How are you feeling?"

"Not too bad, all things considered."

Gina perched on the edge of the bed next to Jubilee. "Rik says you had a bit of an adventure last night."

"Yes, one I'd rather not repeat any time soon."

Gina frowned. "I wouldn't pin my hopes on that, if I were you"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well ……" Gina hesitated, reluctant to break the news when she wasn't sure how it would be received.

"Do you know something, Gina? Something about what I went through last night?" Kristi leaned forward, hope flashing in her eyes. "If you do, please tell me, Gina. I need to know."

Gina nodded, slowly. "I've been going through my father's files this morning and I've managed to piece together one possible solution to what happened to you last night."

"And?" prompted Jubilee.

"Well, look, you need to know that these are illegal files, obtained illegally, from illegal sources. Some of the information contained within them may be just speculation."

"Speculation or not, Gina, if you know something, please tell me." Kristi reached out and took the girl's hand. "I need to know what's happening to me. Am I going through a secondary mutation?" She put a hand to her head. "Why do I feel so strange?"

"No, it's nothing like a secondary mutation, so don't worry about that." Gina patted Kristi's hand awkwardly. "Look, I'll tell you what I know, but just bear in mind that some of the facts may be wrong." She took a deep breath to prepare herself. "Am I right in assuming that your Wolverine is a class five feral?"

Jubilee nodded, hesitantly. "Well …… yeah ……"

"Okay. So, according to the files, a number of ferals were subjected to certain …… tests." She grimaced in distaste. "Several subjects were married, or in relationships. And a small number of these exhibited evidence of some kind of bond with their chosen partner. In many cases, their partner wasn't feral, more rarely not even a mutant." She turned to Kristi, who's eyes were beginning to widen as she assimilated this piece of news. "If my suspicions are correct, it seems as though Wolverine has established a …… matebond? …… with you."

"He's done what?" Jubilee was astounded. "When did he manage that? He's been locked up down there for the better part of a week!" She gestured dramatically towards the floor.

"The bond could have been established weeks ago," continued Gina. "The files suggested that it could lay dormant for a time until triggered by a period of heightened emotional stress."

"Wolvie's nightmare ……" breathed Jubilee.

Gina made an instant decision not to enlighten the two X-Men about the truth of that piece of information. Whether this was wise or not, she felt they already had enough to worry about without knowing that their team-mate had been tortured, thereby initiating the link with Kristi. There would be time enough for confessions later.

She turned to Kristi, hoping her face didn't betray her discomfort of the omission. "Can you think of an occasion when the bond might have been established?"

"Well, no, not really. Oh, wait ……" A tingle ran down her spine as she remembered a day near the lake – a feeling of electricity pulsing through her and a burning in her soul. "Oh …… oh geez!"

"I take it that's a yes?"

Jubilee leaned forward. "Kristi, you never said anything about bonding my Wolvie!"

Kristi bristled at Jubilee's tone. "I didn't know, Jubilee! And I wasn't exactly the one doing the bonding, was I?" She ran a hand through her hair. "Oh God, what am I going to do now?"

"By bond, are we talking about a full psychic rapport here?" asked Jubilee, as Kristi dropped her head into her hands. "Because if so, why isn't the collar blocking it?"

"No, it's not telepathy as such. More of an empathy. The bonded can sense each others feelings and sometimes images ……"

_Dammit! _Gritting her teeth, Kristi closed her eyes, tuning out her companion's conversation, and willing her mind to relax. If Gina was right, somewhere inside her was a link to Wolverine, however obscure, and if it was still there she was determined to find it. Trying to focus her mind inward, she concentrated on a point of light that seemed to be burning in her inner vision, like a candle flame in the dark. Clutching hold of it, she followed it backwards, reaching out and exploring, until ……

She gasped and sat up straight on the bed. "I've got him!"

"You have?" Jubilee leaned forward, her eyes aglow, her earlier annoyance at Kristi forgotten. "What's it like? What's he feeling? Come on, Kristi, spill! Spill!"

Kristi gazed back at her friend, a silly grin beginning to form on her face. "It's wonderful, Jubilee! Like I can see inside his very soul!" A single tear rolled slowly down her cheek and she dashed it away, angrily. "Tsk! I'm making a fool of myself!"

"No, you're not." Gina scooted nearer and put her arm around Kristi's shoulders, giving her a hug. "This is a big thing for you. You're bound to feel emotional."

"What's he thinking, Kristi?" asked Jubilee softly, unwilling to break the spell that seemed to be enveloping her friend.

"It doesn't work like that, Jubes. I can't sense thoughts, just feelings. At the moment, they're muted and slightly chaotic. It's like trying to listen to the television from another room."

"Mark said he was asleep when he knocked off this morning," offered Gina, mentally crossing her fingers.

"That's probably it," nodded Kristi. She grinned. "Y'know, this feels really weird! I've never had someone in my head before!"

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it," snorted Jubilee, thinking of Professor Xavier and his constant mental messages.

"You didn't seem to be aware of the link earlier," prompted Gina. "What's changed?"

"I didn't know what to look for," admitted Kristi, with a shake of her head. "I felt strange when I woke up, but with no real feelings coming through, unlike last night, I couldn't pin down what was wrong with me. Then you started talking about bonds and I just …… concentrated on it and ……. reached for it …… and there it was. It had been there all the time, I just didn't realise it."

"Voila!" echoed Jubilee.

"Will it go away?" asked Kristi, suddenly serious.

"I doubt it," responded Gina, slowly. "Why? Do you want it to?"

"I guess that's down to Wolverine, isn't it?" Kristi flashed Jubilee a meaningful look. Jubilee nodded, picking up on the unspoken intent instantly. _We'll talk about this later._

"Well, if you need to talk to Wolverine, you'll be able to do it tomorrow," Gina announced to stunned faces. "I'm breaking you out of here at midnight tomorrow."

"For heaven's sake, Gina, why didn't you tell us this before?"

Gina spread her arms. "Hello? Empathic bond, anyone? I think we were a little bit distracted here!"

"Details! Details!" demanded Jubilee, bouncing a little on the bed.

"No! As I've said before, if you know nothing, no one can get it out of you. All I'll say is, be ready at midnight." She folded her arms, suddenly all businesslike. "Come hell or high water, we're breaking out of here tomorrow night! And my father can go to hell, for all I care!"

**NEXT: **Wolverine gets more than he bargained for when Sabretooth pays a visit!


	16. Feral Fury

Hi everyone! Here's another chapter! Many thanks to all who reviewed the last one and I hope you are all enjoying the story as much as I am!

Without further ado, let's get on with the show ..... !

**Feral Fury**

For what felt like eons, Logan's mind hovered on the very edge of consciousness, drifting like gossamer on the wind. Dimly, he recognised his condition as the healing coma his body dropped him into in order for his healing factor to do its work unimpeded, but with his blood count currently so low it was struggling to cope with the damage. It was working, but at a far slower rate than normal. He would need time, and plenty of it, if he was to make a full recovery.

Kristi's presence in his mind had a calming effect, despite her emotions constantly changing track like a runaway train. She kept him grounded and semi-aware of the passage of time, as the hours passed and his healing factor slowly patched his body back together.

Some time later, after a period of deep sleep, Logan finally sensed that something was amiss. Struggling up through the veils of darkness to full consciousness, he blinked muzzily as bright light flooded his eyes. He raised a hand to his pounding head and groaned involuntarily as pain jolted through his arm. On the verge of turning his arm to investigate, he froze as a throaty chuckle sounded from inside the cell, somewhere behind him. He slowly rolled over to find himself face to face with Sabretooth, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"Hey, runt. So yer finally awake?"

"Seems that way." Logan's throat was dry and his voice came out as a growl. He coughed and sat up slowly, inching back slightly to put more space between himself and Sabretooth. "So where ya been keepin' yerself, Creed? I was beginnin' ta think I imagined ya back at the bar."

To a casual observer, Logan's tone sounded light and friendly, but beneath it ran currents so deep they were almost unfathomable. He and Sabretooth had known each other for a long time and would not be fooled by small talk.

Sabretooth, for his part, grinned widely, showing off his sharp canines. "Oh, I been around. Watchin' mostly." He chuckled. "Ya put on a great show fer us the other night, runt. Worth all the trouble it took ta join this two bit outfit."

Logan grunted. "Glad ta oblige." Having put some space between himself and Sabretooth, he now rose slowly to his feet, clutching his shirt. As he paused to put it on, he suddenly noticed the livid red scar running down his left forearm from elbow to knuckles and memories of the barbaric procedure suddenly crashed into his head, bringing with them the nightmare visions he had experienced while on the operating table. He almost lost it right there and then, but a questing pulse of confusion from Kristi settled his fury. Trying to radiate a feeling of calm and send it through the bond, he gritted his teeth and fought the onslaught of memories, taking strength from Kristi and pushing the nightmare visions into the deepest recesses of his psyche, where he kept the Wolverine. They would be safe there, for the time being.

Sabretooth chuckled, throatily. Logan hadn't been distracted for more than a few seconds, but somehow the larger feral knew exactly what had just transpired. In true Sabretooth style, he homed in on what he hoped was a weakness. "Mighty nice scar ya got there, runt. Looks like it'll take a long time healin', but then yer healin' factor ain't up ta scratch just lately, is it?" As he finished speaking, he rose slowly to his feet, towering over the smaller Canadian and completely blocking the open cell door behind him.

Logan finished putting on his shirt and let it hang, unfastened. "What's yer point, Creed?"

"The point is, runt, that yer finally where ya deserve ta be." Sabretooth licked a talon and grinned. "I've waited a long time fer this – ta see ya broken an' cowed. An' ya know what? I'm enjoyin' it! Just like I enjoyed hearin' ya scream the other night. Ya scream real good, did ya know that? Even let the feral out fer a time too, not that it could do ya any good, strapped down like ya were. But it was real entertainin' fer me."

Logan clenched his hands into fists at his sides and gritted his teeth, gamely holding his anger in check. He knew Sabretooth was only baiting him, goading him into attack, and Logan was almost ready to oblige. Something about each of them drove the other crazy and, as far back as he could remember, all Logan had ever wanted to do was wipe the silly grin off Sabretooth's face, to smash him into submission and prove his superiority once and for all. He knew it was the same for Sabretooth. It was the animal inside them talking. In nature, there could be only one pack leader and each of them wanted to prove that he was the one. Yet Logan was hoping that Sabretooth wouldn't try to provoke an attack now. Without his claws and seriously weakened as he was, he knew he wouldn't stand a chance against Sabretooth at his peak. Yet, even as the saner part of his mind reasoned this out, the animal part of him couldn't help but take a dig at the large mutant.

"Ya know, Creed, I've been thinkin'. Here I am, held all cozy like in this cell, stripped of my powers, an' fer what?" Logan let the question hang for a second and leaned casually against the wall behind him. "Fer my healin' factor, that's what. Now, I figure that if yer on the outside an' I'm on the inside, Roberts obviously doesn't know one major fact about ya, Creed."

Sabertooth's eyes narrowed. "Which is?"

"That ya have a healin' factor too. An' I'm guessin' that if Roberts knew he could have two fer the price o' one, ya'd soon find yerself occupyin' a cell very much like this one. Who's turn would it be ta scream then, Creed?"

Sabertooth's lip turned back in a snarl. "Are ya sayin' ya'd turn me in?"

Logan said nothing, merely looking back at Creed impassively as the huge mutant spread his talons.

"Yer lyin'!"

"Try me!"

Sabretooth growled. "Yer fergettin' one thing, little man. Yer stuck in here an' I've got the freedom o' the place. One hint o' you grassin' me up an' I guess I'll have to go an' pay those girls o' yers a little visit. Nice lookin' frails. I bet they scream real well."

Now it was Logan's turn to snarl. "You touch those girls, Creed, an' I swear I'll kill you."

"From in here? That'd be somethin' ta see."

"Strange as this might sound, Creed, I think I've got the upper hand here. Y'see, I get regular visits from the scientist types that work around here. In fact, someone should be callin' by any time now." Logan's eyes narrowed. "So ya see, Creed, I can drop ya in it anytime I damn well please. Ya stay on the straight an' narrow, an' ya'll hear nothin' from me. But if I ever hear ya've touched either o' my girls, I'll tell Roberts all about yer healin' factor. He'll have ya locked up so fast yer head'll spin."

"Yer bluffin'!" Sabretooth flexed his talons and growled, his anger getting the better of his common sense.

Logan took a step forward and pointed a finger in Sabretooth's face. "In fact, Creed, I may just tell him anyway. Serve ya right if he cuts ya all ta hell ta find out how _you_ tick."

With an earsplitting howl, Sabretooth finally lost all self control and launched himself at Logan. Too late, Logan realised he'd goaded the huge mutant too far – allowed the animal within him to assert its authority over the other. It was a mistake he hoped he'd live to regret.

He ducked as Sabretooth's taloned hand swept past his head so fast his hair ruffled in the breeze of its passing. He tucked and rolled, ducking past the larger mutant to come back to his feet behind him, where he immediately punched Sabretooth in the small of his back. Sabretooth howled in rage and whirled, striking out with a fist that caught Logan full in the stomach. Logan whuffed air and doubled, catching sight of a follow up blow coming his way from the corner of his eye. He barely threw himself to the side in time to avoid the fist that would probably have knocked him senseless for a time and, as he struggled to put distance between himself and the wildly flailing Sabretooth, he wondered what was taking the guards so long. It stood to reason that someone would be watching the cell. Surely Roberts wouldn't want his prize blood bank damaged?

As the fight wore on and there was no sign of any guards coming to intervene, Logan's hopes sank as he realised he was wrong.

**oooOOOooo**

"You've got to put a stop to this! He's gonna kill him!" Coffey looked around anxiously at the two other guards who were on duty with him in the monitor room. Both were gathered around the one screen, cheering and whooping at the combatants displayed there. "Ferro, for heaven's sake ……"

"Ah, shaddap, Coffey, what's the matter with you?" Ferro turned from the screen to fix his fellow guard with a steady glare. "Ya gone soft on the mutie, or somethin'? Have ya forgotten what he did to Frost already?"

"No, but ……"

"Look, the little runt had it comin'. Whatever he said to Sabretooth steamed him up somethin' fierce for him to go fer the runt like that an' I'm sorry we missed it. But whatever it was, he deserves what he's getting' an' I ain't about to deprive Sabretooth of his fun."

A cheer from Drake attracted his attention and he turned back to the screen to see Wolverine lying dazed in a corner of his cell, Sabretooth standing over him, howling his defiance. "Damn! I missed that!"

Coffey leaned forward onto the desk, putting himself between Ferro and the screen. "Look, what do you think Roberts will do if that …… that maniac kills the only chance of life his son has?" He winced as Sabretooth hauled Wolverine to his feet and backhanded him across the face before flinging him the length of his cell. "Who do you think'll be in trouble for just sitting back an' watching it happen?"

"The mutie's got a healin' factor, remember?" countered Ferro. "By all accounts, he can't be killed."

"That's not the point, and you know it!"

"Yeah, yeah." Drake flapped a hand at him, hardly able to keep his eyes off the screen. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, we'll break it up in a minute or two."

"Yeah, the mutie's got a few more minutes o' fight left in him yet," agreed Ferro, with a grin. "We'll let Sabretooth rough him up a bit more an' then we'll split 'em up."

Coffey straightened as the two guards turned back to the screen, encouraging Sabretooth on with wild whistles and advice he couldn't hear. He snorted in disgust then, his face set determinedly, he turned, snatched up his concussion rifle from the desk behind him and strode purposely to the door.

Drake looked up. "Hey. Where you going?"

Coffey turned slightly in the open doorway. "To put a stop to this madness before it's too late." He turned and was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

Drake frowned. "What the hell's wrong with him all of a sudden?"

Ferro shrugged. "Can't stand the sight o' blood, I guess."

**oooOOOooo **

Wolverine was in serious trouble. The little strength he had was beginning to give out and his arms and legs felt like lead. His breath came in short painful gasps and it was an effort just to keep moving. Already, Sabretooth had cornered him several times and flung him across the cell like a ragdoll, always careful to avoid the still open doorway despite his rage. His face and arms bore several slashes from Sabretooth's razor sharp talons and one particularly deep cut over his left eye was bleeding profusely and impeding his vision. It was only a matter of time before Sabretooth caught him and did some serious damage and Wolverine knew it. He suspected Sabretooth did too and was deliberately drawing out the confrontation.

The scent of blood seemed to have driven Sabretooth crazy. He howled like a madman, slashing with his talons whenever Wolverine came near, and trying to get a hold of the smaller mutant. Even when at his peak, Wolverine was at a disadvantage when dealing with Sabretooth. Sabretooth was bigger, stronger and faster than his Canadian born counterpart. Usually, only his beserker fury gave Wolverine the edge. But he was far too spent to tap into that side of his self now, in fact was relieved he couldn't, knowing it would only get him seriously hurt or worse. When he went feral, he lost all semblance of reason and operated on sheer animal instinct alone. The only way to defeat Sabretooth now was to keep his head and outwit him.

Sabretooth suddenly lunged forward, talons outstretched for Wolverine's throat. Wolverine back-peddled furiously, but suddenly found himself slipping as his feet got tangled up in something. _The blanket!_ Fighting to stay upright, Wolverine was seriously off balance as Sabretooth crashed into him and they both toppled, hitting the floor with a bone jarring impact. Wolverine came off worse, landing underneath Sabretooth, and he whuffed air as the larger mutant's elbow drove into his stomach. He struggled to get free, but in the confusion Sabretooth managed to get one hand around Wolverine's neck, immediately squeezing and threatening to cut off his air supply. Wolverine wrapped his fingers around Sabretooth's wrist and pushed upwards, fighting to ease the pressure, then yelled out in agony as Sabretooth's free hand raked across his side, the talons tearing through shirt and flesh alike. Panicked now, Wolverine tried to scrabble his way out from under the larger and heavier mutant, but Sabretooth drew back his arm and plunged his talons once more into Wolverine's side. As he held the X-Man down with the hand at his neck, he twisted his talons in Wolverine's side and laughed as the smaller man cried out in anger and pain.

"Thought ya could beat me, didn't ya, little man?" Sabretooth growled, right in his face. "I don't think so!"

With one hand wrapped around the fist that was slowly throttling him, Wolverine flung out the other, searching the floor desperately for anything he could use as a weapon, but knowing he would find nothing. Then, as spots began to flash before his eyes, his roving hand encountered his jacket and his hopes soared. If he could just reach his inner pocket ……

The outer door suddenly banged open. Sabretooth's head whipped to the side, distracted, just as Wolverine brought the metal nail file up in a wide arc to slash across Sabretooth's unprotected throat. Blood sprayed as the file bit deeply into the feral mutant's flesh and he flung himself back, howling like a crazed animal.

Wolverine took the opportunity to untangle himself from the blanket and push himself back out of Sabretooth's immediate reach. But Sabretooth recovered quickly. Clutching his ruined throat with one hand, he advanced on the X-Man, murder in his eyes.

"Hold it right there."

Sabretooth stopped and looked sideways to find a concussion rifle pointed right at his head. Coffey waggled it, menacingly. "Get out of here, Creed, before I forget you're on our side."

Sabretooth hesitated, growling low in his throat and, for one insane moment, Wolverine thought he was going to risk it and go for the guard. Then, with a last murderous glare at Wolverine, he turned and loped silently from the cell room.

Coffey lowered the rifle and looked towards Wolverine, who was struggling to his feet, one hand at his throat and the other clutching his right side. Taking a tremendous risk, Coffey walked over and bent to retrieve the nail file from the floor, trusting that Wolverine would recognise him as the one who had slipped him the blanket and therefore a friend.

Placing his back to the hidden camera, Coffey made a show of taunting Wolverine with the nail file, putting on an act for the benefit of the other guards in the monitor room. For Wolverine's ears only, he whispered, "My name's Coffey. I'm a friend. Are you hurt?"

If Logan was surprised, he didn't show it. "Some," he whispered back. "But I'll live."

"I'm sorry, I'm going to have to take this." Coffey tossed the file into the air, caught it and pocketed it. "I know you're hurting and I'll mention the attack to the guys in the lab, but I'm afraid it's down to them whether they come to fix you up."

Logan slumped against the wall, following Coffey's lead and putting on a show. It wasn't a hard act to pull off. "I understand. Just between you an' me, I don't think they'll care too much about my injuries."

Coffey turned away, reluctantly, knowing he couldn't stay in the cell much longer without arousing suspicion in the watching guards. Wolverine was obviously in a bad way and he longed to tell the X-Man about the upcoming breakout – to let him know he wouldn't have to suffer much longer. But he also knew he didn't dare in case he was overheard or, worse, Wolverine blurted it out himself under duress. The less the X-Man knew, the better.

Coffey secured the cell, then quietly slipped out of the outer door. Logan watched him go, then slowly slid down the wall to the floor, totally exhausted. He reached out for his blanket, which was lying crumpled at his feet, and pressed it to his side to staunch the flow of blood, hissing slightly at the pain. Grimly, he cursed himself for his stupidity. _When will I ever learn ta keep my big mouth shut?_

Several minutes later, the outer door opened once more and two whitecoats entered, followed by a couple of guards. Logan instinctively knew they were not there to tend to his wounds – they were after blood. He idly wondered if he had any left to give – most of it was soaking into his shirt and blanket.

Logan remained on the floor and calmly watched the men approach. He didn't have the strength to stand and was in too much pain to try. If they wanted blood, they'd just have to come right in and get it.

As the first of the whitecoats moved into the cell, Logan looked up and smiled, weakly. "Hey, guys. What does a fella have ta do ta get breakfast around here …… ?"

**NEXT: **The breakout begins!


	17. The Scent of Freedom

Hi everyone! Another chapter! I'm on a roll!

Many thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter! Your input is most valued!

Now: the stage is set - on with the show!

**The Scent of Freedom**

"Hey, Kristi." Jubilee trotted across the room to stand beside her friend at the window. "How are you feeling?"

Kristi considered this for a moment, staring out of the window but seeing nothing but her reflection in the night darkened glass. _How do I feel? _It was a loaded question, considering that she was now feeling for two.

Just when Jubilee was beginning to think Kristi hadn't heard her, she turned, her eyes sharp in the light from the single lamp. "Do you really want to know what I'm feeling, Jubilee? I feel trouble, that's what. Something's not right and Wolverine is at the center of it."

"Kristi, the guy is practically the living embodiment of angst." Jubilee folded her arms, rocking back on one foot. "Just because you picked up 'something funny'" she waggled her fingers in quotation marks, "from him hours ago, doesn't mean that our whole escape plan is gonna come crashing down around our ears."

Kristi sighed, the sigh of one who has gone through the same argument several times already. "Look, Jubes, I know what I felt, okay? Something happened down there this morning – I don't know what, but it's left Wolverine in a lot of pain. He's doing his best to block it, but I can still feel it leaking through." She closed her eyes, concentrating on the bond. "He's confused and hurting, Jubes, I can feel it as plainly as if I were in the room with him." She opened her eyes and flung her hands up in the air. "An' I can't do a damn thing about it, stuck up here!"

"Hey hey, calm down! You'll have Wolvie climbing the bars of his cell if he picks up on your current frame of mind! Geez!" Jubilee frowned and tilted her head at her friend. "Y'know, Kristi, I don't think this matebond thing is such a good idea. You've been ever so tetchy since it manifested an' I think you're projecting Wolvie's mood. Tone it down a bit, 'kay?"

"Well, if I am, I don't mean to and I'm sorry." Kristi turned slightly to lean against the window ledge, running a hand through her hair. "This is a bit intense for me, y'know?"

"I know." Jubilee patted her arm, companionably. "You'll get used to it. Either that, or we'll end up stuffing you both into a padded cell an' letting you fight it out between you until you agree to project sunnier dispositions." She waggled her eyebrows. "Besides, it won't be long now until Gina comes to break us out an' then you an' Wolvie can have a heart to heart an' work everything out."

"Well, that's a cheery thought," huffed Kristi.

"What? I thought you loved the guy? Don't tell me you've changed your mind, 'cause that's gonna cause problems, what with the bond and all."

"No, I still love Wolverine. There, I've admitted it!" Kristi puffed up her cheeks and blew out the air, noisily. "It's just …… well, I don't think he loves _me, _Jubes."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, not that again, Kristi!" Jubilee sighed, dramatically. "You're crazy, did you know that? Of course he loves you, he's matebonded to you! Do you think he did that just for fun? Get with it, dude!"

Kristi picked dejectedly at the hem of her sweater. "You can say what you like, Jubilee, but I honestly don't think Wolverine likes me. I told you so the day before we were captured and nothing's happened to change my mind."

"Look, the bond was established days before we were captured, an' that's according to your own reckoning, not mine." Jubilee studied her friend, intently. "I don't know why you're so convinced Wolvie isn't interested in you. The evidence says otherwise."

Kristi shrugged. "It's just a feeling," she replied, softly.

"You're letting your imagination run away with you," asserted Jubilee, firmly. "Stop convincing yourself that all sorts of bad things are going to happen and just wait until you've had chance to talk to Wolverine face to face. Things just might turn out for the best if you quit worrying about them."

"And what if they don't, Jubilee?" Kristi turned to face her friend, her eyes filling with tears. "I want to be an X-Man – more than anything I've ever wanted. And now I'm matebonded to a man who may not be the slightest bit interested in me. How am I supposed to train with him, Jubilee? How am I supposed to fight alongside him, knowing that he can feel it every time my heart jumps when I look at him? How, Jubes?"

"Well, if it's any consolation, his enhanced senses would tell him that, Kristi, the matebond's just incidental!" She grinned at her friend's irritated frown. "Look, I'm not trying to make light of how you feel, okay? I'm just saying that maybe you ought to put your worries on the back burner for the time being, at least until you've been able to thrash it all out with Wolvie. Having the bond may have altered his perspectives somewhat."

"God, Jubilee, are you saying the bond may force him to love me?" Kristi looked horrified and Jubilee could have bitten off her own tongue when she realised what she'd implied.

"I didn't say that! Look, enough already! I'm too young for all this!"

Kristi huffed and moved across the room to throw herself onto the sofa, where she put her head in her hands. "God, I'm sorry, Jubilee. Look at me, I'm a mess."

Jubilee hoisted herself onto the window ledge and swung her legs back and forth. "I know. A week without a hair brush is enough to make anyone feel like the pits." She laughed and waved a hand at Kristi's frown. "Relax, dude, I'm just teasing!" She smiled, encouragingly. "Look, seriously, Kristi, you an' Wolvie'll work this out. I know him – he's a good guy. He won't hurt you."

Kristi smiled, weakly. "You know, before I came to the School I was such a level headed person, yet one glance from your Wolverine sent all my common sense running for the hills. This isn't like me at all."

"Well, that's Wolvie for you. You either love him or hate him."

"And now I have to face him again, knowing that we're probably bonded for the rest of our lives," Kristi continued, without breaking stride. "I don't know whether to be glad or scared of how he'll react. Geez, Jubilee, I'm so confused!"

Jubilee nodded in what she hoped was a sympathetic fashion. "Chill, dude! You're gonna give yourself an apoplexy – not that I know what one of those is, but hey, it sounds good, eh?"

A soft tap at the door was almost drowned out by Kristi's snort of amusement. Suddenly nervous at the prospect of finally confronting Wolverine, she jumped to her feet in alarm, looking ready to bolt in three different directions at once. "That's Gina!"

"About time!" Jubilee hopped down from the window ledge as their secret ally slipped into the room. "We're ready! Let's go!"

"Wait. You'll need these." Gina held out two fur lined jackets, matching partners for the one she wore herself.

"S'okay, I've got my duster." Jubilee reached out for her trademark yellow trench, which was still draped over the back of the easy chair.

"It won't do, Jubilee. The weather's taken a turn for the worse and if you're not wrapped up warmly you'll freeze. Here." Gina thrust the jacket at her once more. "Hurry up! We haven't got all night!"

"What about the collars?" asked Kristi, slipping her own jacket on over her sweater. "Can you take them off?"

"I've got the remote with me, but you'll have to keep the collars on until we're away from the house. I can't risk anyone noticing that you're not wearing them anymore."

"But what about the jackets?" asked Jubilee, zipping hers up quickly and snugging her hands into the pockets. "Won't they give the game away?"

"I'm hoping not," responded Gina. "You see, my father has finally decided what to do with you and I'm gambling on people thinking you're being moved over to the airfield prior to being shipped out."

"Shipped out?" echoed Jubilee. "To where?"

"Genosha."

Jubilee paled visibly. "Genosha?"

Gina nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry."

Kristi looked from one to the other, clearly confused. "What's Genosha?"

"Believe me, you do not want to know. Just be glad we're breaking out tonight."

"Time's wasting," hissed Gina. "We'd better get moving. Leave the light on, Jubilee. If anyone looks up from the courtyard, they'll think you're still here." She took a deep breath. "Okay. I pulled an image from Hudson earlier, so don't be alarmed."

She seemed to shimmer as her mutant ability activated and a few seconds later 'Coffey' was standing before them, wearing a huge grin. 'He' opened the door and checked that all was clear in the hallway before ushering the two X-Men out. Jubilee cast a forlorn glance in the direction of her abandoned duster as the door closed behind her.

"The coast's clear. Come on." Gina set off at a brisk pace down the hallway, trailing the two X-Men in her wake. As they reached the top of the stairs, Kristi jumped as a figure stepped out from beside one of the suits of armour.

"It's alright," hissed Gina. "This is Hudson. He's with me."

Hudson nodded a quick greeting and fell in behind the two girls as Gina led the way down the stairs. Jubilee was startled to notice that he was covering them with a rifle, but quickly realised it was all part of the ruse. If they should meet anyone, they would simply see two captives being escorted by two guards.

Once downstairs, Jubilee expected to be led towards the double doors at the front of the house, but Gina turned left, passing the elevator they had ridden up in days ago, and headed further down the hallway to a door about halfway along. She opened it cautiously and peered into the darkened room beyond, before slipping through and motioning for the others to follow. She closed the door behind them with a soft click as they bunched together around Hudson, like a tiny herd of frightened sheep.

Gina appeared as a dark shadow as she turned to face them. "Be careful here," she whispered, as she moved nearer to the little group. "There's just enough light to see by, but try not to trip over anything, okay? I daren't risk putting the lights on. I'll lead the way."

She slipped passed them, taking the lead once more and leaving Hudson to bring up the rear. Confidently, she led the way forward, moving with the practised ease of someone who has spent a great deal of time sneaking around in the darkness. Kristi and Jubilee followed on in single file, hardly daring to breathe lest they should be heard and discovered. Freedom was now so near they could almost taste it.

A large steel topped counter loomed at them from the darkness and Kristi realised they were in a kitchen, much larger than the one back at the mansion. In the dim light filtering in through the two windows in the far wall, the work surfaces and storage units shone dully, betraying their locations just in time for the little group to avoid walking into them.

Kristi jumped and stifled a squeak as something metallic clattered to the floor behind her. As one, the group froze in place, holding their collective breaths, waiting for the tell tale sounds that would tell them someone was coming to investigate the noise. But all remained still.

"What the hell was that?" hissed Hudson.

"Sorry! That was me!" Jubilee's voice issued from the darkness. "I knocked a ladle off the counter. Sorry!"

Gina let out a breath. "Please don't do that again," she chided. "Come on."

In less than a minute, they were standing before another door. Gina released the locks and pulled it open, letting a blast of icy cold air and a flurry of snow into the kitchen.

Kristi shivered. "Geez, it's freezing out there!"

"I told you the weather was bad," asserted Gina, with a grimace that no one could see in the darkness. "There's a storm coming in and it's going to get worse. One good thing though – once we're on the road, my father shouldn't be able to track us. The choppers can't fly in this."

"Quit yappin', get movin'." Hudson ushered them out into the snow-filled night, closed the door behind them and led the way across the courtyard to the stables, their feet sinking at least four inches into the snow at every step. By the time they reached the safety and relative warmth of the stables, Kristi felt chilled to the bone despite her fur lined jacket and her sneakers had taken in wet.

Gina lit a small safety lamp and hung it from a rafter, shifting back into herself as she did so. The lamp sent a soft glow around the stable interior, revealing a number of sleepy eyed horses, who regarded them with detached interest.

Gina moved towards the two girls. "You'll be safe here while we go and get Wolverine. The light can't be seen from outside – I've checked – as long as you don't put the main lights on. They're too bright and _can_ be seen from outside." She paused and dug into her jacket pocket, producing a small device that resembled a television remote. "But first, let's get those collars off you."

Jubilee eyed the device warily, as Gina pressed several buttons. "I hope you know what you're doing. That blue lightening stuff looked none too friendly to me."

Gina grinned. "Trust me." There was an audible click from Jubilee's collar. The red light on the front blinked once and then went out. "Try it now."

Jubilee cautiously raised her hands to her collar and gave an experimental tug. The catch opened and it came free at once. She glared at it as it lay in her hand, looking no more dangerous than a piece of cheap jewellery. Then, with a sudden swift movement, she flung it across the stable. It landed in the hay with a soft thud and skidded under a horse's stall, momentarily startling the occupant.

Gina knew how she felt. Being a mutant herself, she knew how she would feel to have her power taken away from her. To still possess it and yet not be able to tap into it was the cruellest form of torture. For some mutants, it would be worse then death.

She moved on to Kristi, talking as she worked. "The secret of the collars is that they all operate on a unique frequency. So if you learn one frequency and get the collar off, you can't use it on another – the lightening would activate automatically. But I was able to download your frequencies easily from my father's files. Okay, Kristi, you're free."

Kristi gasped as her collar opened and came away. She immediately embraced her power, exulting in the golden glow that surrounded her, and sending flickering shadows cascading around the stable. To Gina, who had never seen Kristi power up before, she resembled a golden angel, but to Kristi it was obviously much more. Tears of joy welled up in her eyes, and Gina turned away to spare her embarrassment and allow her some privacy.

"Hudson and I will go and get Wolverine," she announced, as she moved towards the door where her companion was waiting. "Most of the house guards are out of the way tonight, but the exterior guards will still be patrolling, so don't make any loud noises. You wouldn't want to attract their attention."

Hudson opened the door, letting in an icy blast which swung the lamp on its rafter. Kristi stepped forward, raising a hand. "Good luck," she whispered.

"Thanks." Gina smiled, nervously. "I hope we don't need it."

**oooOOOooo**

Stopping beside the door to Wolverine's cell, Gina paused, her hand resting lightly on the metal handle. She and Hudson had made it all the way through the house and the lower complex without meeting anyone else, and Gina silently thanked the powers-that-be for arranging Ferro's birthday so conveniently. Now, however, they could not proceed without knowing that the guard in the monitor room was out of commission, and that was Coffey's responsibility.

"What's taking him so long?" hissed Gina. They had been waiting a full five minutes and her hands were starting to shake.

"Give him time, he'll come through." Hudson, standing beside her, had a finger pressed to his headset as if that would speed up the message they were waiting to hear. "He hasn't just to take out Dietrich, he also has to deactivate the cameras so that they don't record you going in. It'll take a few minutes."

"Well, I wish he'd hurry up," grumbled Gina, petulantly. "I feel really exposed out here. And my hands are getting all sweaty!"

Hudson grunted in reply and Gina frowned to herself. It wasn't just the breakout that was making her nervous, it was fear of Wolverine himself. Their plan to get him out of the cell involved Gina shifting into someone he trusted, but she knew what he was capable of doing, even without his claws, and she also knew if he suspected he was being tricked, in his confused state he could easily kill her before she could explain. It was one thing being in a room, with Wolverine behind bars – it was quite another to be behind those bars with him.

Hudson suddenly stiffened, listening to a voice on his headset. "That's it, Gina! Dietrich down, cameras out! Go!"

"Okay." Taking a shuddering breath, Gina opened the door slightly and leaned through, giving herself line of sight in order to pull an image from Wolverine's mind. She didn't need to look into a person's eyes to do this, or to touch, although this often made the process easier and faster, but simple eye to body contact was enough to activate her ability. Now, concentrating slightly, she felt the image slide into her mind, and her body began to shift …….

**NEXT: **Just when everything is going so well, who is the last person you would wish to run into? Oh, and extra kudos if you can guess who Gina shifts into!!


	18. Gina Jeannie

Hello everyone! First of all, many thanks to **HyperEmo, nileena **and **Hukkanen** for reviewing the last chapter! As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated! And a big "Welcome!" to all my new readers! I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

As for the little quiz I left for you all at the end, I am sorry to report that no one guessed correctly! Shame on you!! But never fear, for the answers are about to be revealed! Read on and enjoy ..... !

**Gina / Jeannie**

Hudson stepped back as Gina shifted, appraising her fully once the transformation was complete. He nodded in approval. "You have to hand it to this Wolverine – he sure knows some lookers! Aren't there any guys in this X-team, or is he the only one, the lucky bugger?"

"Cut it out, Mark, this isn't the time to be funny!" Gina turned slightly to hide the blush that coloured her cheeks, unconsciously crossing her arms to conceal the ample bosom that had replaced her own smaller, but perfectly adequate, one. Biting her lip to stifle an amused grin, she looked down at herself curiously. Gone were her jeans and fur lined jacket, replaced with an X-Man uniform of blue and gold. The figure beneath it was trim and supple, with legs that seemed to go on forever, and long red hair, which draped softly around her shoulders, replaced her own dark shorter style.

She looked up to find Hudson gazing at her in appreciation and she coughed sharply to break the mood.

Taking a step towards the door, she paused as she felt Hudson's hand on her arm and looked into his eyes, distractedly realising that she was now a few inches taller.

"Do you want me to go in there with you?" Hudson nodded towards the cell room, his expression full of concern.

Gina shook her head. "No. I have to do this alone. I have to gain his trust and I can't do that if he senses a potential threat from a guard. But thanks anyway, Mark." She took a deep, calming breath. "Okay. Here we go."

She opened the door further and stepped smartly into the outer room. Wolverine didn't stir as she deactivated the light curtain and opened the cell door and for one nervous moment she wondered if he was playing possum and would leap for her the moment she entered the cell. Then she remembered she was 'wearing' the form of someone he trusted and she told herself firmly to calm down. She had to trust in her mutant abilities or she would be no good as an X-Man.

Now there was a thought. _Where the hell did that come from? _She'd already made up her mind never to return home once the X-Men were free, but to think about joining the team? _What on Earth am I thinking of? _True, she would need guidance in the use of her mutant powers, and the X-Men were the best qualified to give her that guidance, but after what her father had done to three members of the team it was foolish of her to even think they'd want her around. They'd be perfectly within their rights to tell her to get lost and run her out of the state. She certainly wouldn't blame them, but found the thought strangely distressing.

However, now was not the time for such thoughts. She'd cross that bridge when she came to it. For now, she had a job to do and time was wasting.

She moved slowly across the outer room towards the cell door, alert for any sign of movement from Wolverine but, as she drew nearer, she could see that he wasn't faking – he really was out of it. He was lying face down on the floor, the blanket Coffey had managed to slip to him earlier was scrunched up at his side. As she stepped into the cell, he stirred and blinked up at her, dazedly.

"Jeannie?" he whispered, hoarsely. "Now there's a sight fer sore eyes."

Gina started, thinking he'd somehow seen through her disguise, but then realised he'd said a name very similar to her own. She moved closer and knelt by his side. "I've come to take you home, Wolverine," she said, softly.

Wolverine looked up at her with eyes that seemed full of pain. "Are the rest o' the X-Men here?"

Gina shook her head. "No. There's just me."

Wolverine nodded once in satisfaction. "That'll do." He began to struggle to his feet. Gina stood and put her arm around his waist to assist, but something didn't feel right and she pulled her hand away. It was red with blood. In horror, she stared down at the blanket, suddenly realising it had been pressed against his side to staunch the steady flow.

"What the hell happened here, Wolverine?"

"Sabretooth," was all the X-Man had to say. He was on his feet now, but he swayed unsteadily, a hand clutched at his side.

"Oh, Wolverine, I'm so sorry." Now that he was upright, Gina could see the full extent of his injuries – the slashes on his arms and face, the deep cut over one eye. Her heart went out to him and, at the same time, she felt deep hatred for her father who had caused so much suffering.

"What d'ya have ta be sorry for, Red? Ain't your fault." Wolverine stated the obvious matter-of-factly and Gina drew her mind back to the here and now.

"Do you trust me, Wolverine?"

"With my life, Jeannie. Ya know that."

Gina experienced a sudden pang of guilt at using her power to trick Wolverine so, but it was necessary if they were to get him out alive. By the looks of him, he wouldn't last much longer in her father's clutches. She put her arm around Wolverine's waist once more to support him as they moved from the cell. "Bear with me, Wolverine. If we meet someone, you may see something …… strange."

"A new ability, huh, Jeannie?"

"Something like that. There's also a guard helping us, so don't be alarmed."

"Guy by the name o' Coffey?"

"How do you know Coffey?"

"Introduced himself earlier. After Sabretooth an' me finished gettin' …… reacquainted."

"Oh. No, it's not Coffey, although he's helping too. This guard's name is Hudson."

They had reached the outer door and Hudson opened it to allow them through. He immediately took Wolverine from Gina, shouldering his rifle so he could support the X-Man's weight. He tossed a worried glance at Gina as he noticed his condition, but all Gina could do was shrug helplessly in reply.

Steeling themselves, the intrepid pair began to escort their charge back through the corridors of the complex.

**oooOOOooo**

Jubilee paced back and forth across the stable, every so often giving the door an agonised glance. "Where are they? They've been gone ages!"

Kristi, seated on a hay bale, with her knees drawn up to her chin and her arms clasped around them to stop her hands shaking, shook her head nervously. She didn't trust her voice enough to speak.

"I keep expecting alarm bells to go off." Jubilee stopped pacing long enough to kick angrily at a bale. "Where they hell are they? Surely they should have got back by now?"

"I don't think anything's gone wrong," offered Kristi, softly. "Wolverine feels too calm. I'm sure his temper would be raging if they'd been ambushed."

"Too right," asserted Jubilee. She resumed her pacing. "All this waiting is driving me crazy."

Both girls jumped as the stable door suddenly banged back into the wall and a blue and gold figure was blown in by the wind. Several horses snorted at the abrupt entrance and stamped their hooves, agitatedly, and Kristi jumped to her feet, instantly recognising her team-mate Jean. Surging forward to greet the X-Man, she stopped short in sudden understanding. _Wait! This isn't Jean. It's ……_

And with that simple realisation came another. Kristi's brow furrowed into a frown as the truth dawned. The image Gina had drawn from Wolverine's mind was Jean? Not Kristi? She was matebonded to him and Gina had drawn Jean? _What the hell ……?_

The truth of that realisation hit so hard that it actually hurt. She started forward again, anger, resentment and jealousy warring within her for dominance with such force that she knew she was flooding the bond with her emotions. But she didn't care. If she had needed proof that Wolverine didn't love her, she had it now. _Bloody Jean, of all people! She's engaged, for heaven's sake! _It was time she and Wolverine had a long, overdue talk ……

But then Hudson staggered over the threshold, half supporting, half carrying a clearly wounded Wolverine, and all thoughts fled her mind save for one: her bondmate was injured. She couldn't help herself – she immediately ducked under his free arm and helped Hudson support the X-Man's considerable weight as he manhandled him to a hay bale and helped him to sit. Wolverine winced and clenched a fist to his side as Jubilee knelt on the floor at his knees, her eyes wide with concern.

"Wolvie? What happened to you?"

"He's bleeding, Jubilee!" Kristi rummaged in her jacket pocket, searching for something to wipe away the blood, but finding nothing. She looked around her desperately and then mouthed a silent thank you to Hudson as he handed her a thankfully clean handkerchief.

"What the hell's been going on down there?" she demanded, using the handkerchief to dab gently at the cut above Wolverine's eye. Wolverine, unused to being fussed over, tried to fend her off, weakly. "I thought your father only wanted blood, Gina? This looks as though he's been having him worked over every day. Stop pushing me away, Wolverine! I'm only trying to help!"

Gina had closed the door against the worsening weather and joined them, still wearing her Phoenix persona. She looked down at the two girls, helplessly. "Believe me, I had no idea what was going on down there. I'm as appalled by this as you are."

Wolverine eyed Gina up and down, critically. "Glad ta hear ya care, 'Jeannie'," he drawled, easily. "Ain't it time ya dropped the Phoenix charade? It ain't foolin' anyone."

Gina shimmered gently as she dropped her disguise. "How long have you known?" she asked, softly.

"Since the moment ya entered the cell. I've known the lady fer a long time, darlin', an' ya didn't move or sound right."

Gina grimaced. "Well, it's nice to know my power has its drawbacks," she said, with a hint of sarcasm.

"Ya meant well, babe, an' that's what counts. I figured ya didn't want ta spook me any more than necessary, so ya impersonated someone I trusted. Am I right?" A sharp spike of jealousy surged down the bond and he flinched. _Again? What the …… ?_

Gina nodded, not noticing his sudden pause. "I'm sorry I had to trick you. I didn't know how you'd react if I just waltzed into your cell with a guard in tow."

"No worries, darlin'. I don't hold grudges." He looked down at Jubilee, who was still eyeing him anxiously. "S'matta, Jubes? Aren't ya glad ta see me?"

"Wolvie, you're a mess! How can you joke at a time like this?"

"What better time is there?" His bravado, however, was ruined by a sudden spasm of pain from his side and he clutched at the wound with a bloodied fist.

"Let me have a look at that!" Ignoring his protests, Kristi gently pulled his jacket and shirt aside to see what was bothering him so. She paled slightly at the sight of all the blood and torn flesh. "What the hell happened here? This looks like …… like claw marks!"

"Sabretooth attacked you?" asked Jubilee in disbelief, hitting the nail on the head first time.

Wolverine nodded.

Kristi dabbed ineffectually at the wound with the handkerchief, making the X-Man flinch slightly. "Sorry. Look, I'm no medic, but this looks really bad. You need professional treatment, Wolverine, and you need it soon. Why isn't your healing factor dealing with this?"

"Healin' factor's stretched ta the limit right now, darlin'. It's doin' its best, but even it can't work miracles. Roberts' flunkies have taken too much blood in the last few days. I'll heal, but I'll heal real slow."

Kristi let his jacket and shirt fall back into place and stood back, looking at Wolverine in distress, a plethora of thoughts whirring through her head. She was annoyed with him, true, but he was her bondmate and the very nature of the bond compelled her to want to help him. That she was in no position to offer that help did not ease her turmoil.

Wolverine blinked at the flood of emotions bombarding him through the bond, but reached out to take her hand, patting it gently. "Don't worry about me, darlin'. I've looked worse'n this an' always lived." He smiled, weakly. "If it's any consolation, yer nail file probably saved my sorry hide from a worse beatin'."

Hudson, standing near the door where he was keeping watch, coughed to attract everyone's attention. "I hate to break into the family reunion, but I really think we ought to be making a break for it. Dietrich won't be out for the count for ever."

"You're right." Gina moved forward, fumbling in her jacket pocket. "Stay still, Wolverine. Let's get that collar off you."

She operated the remote and, as a click sounded from the X-Man's collar, he reached up to yank if off, staring at it in distaste. Then, he raised his other fist and Gina jumped back with a startled squeak as he unsheathed his claws.

"Nobody's ever gonna collar me with this damn thing again!" With one fluid movement, he tossed the collar into the air and slashed at it with his lethal blades. It fell to the floor at his feet in several pieces and Wolverine sheathed his claws with a satisfied sounding 'snakt'.

Normally, when Wolverine sheathed his claws, his healing factor instantly healed the wounds left by their passage. Now, however, his already overtaxed system was unable to deal with any further damage and blood seeped copiously from the three cuts between his knuckles.

Jubilee snorted. "That wasn't very sensible, was it?" she asked, scathingly.

Wolverine grabbed the already blood soaked handkerchief from Kristi and wrapped it around his left hand. "Don't ride me, Jubilee. I ain't in the mood."

Gina tapped Jubilee's shoulder. "We'd best get moving. You take the point with Hudson. I'll help Kristi with Wolverine."

"Don't need no help," the feral X-Man protested, forcefully. "Quit fussin'." But as he started to stand it was obvious he was in much pain by the look on his face, which he tried hard to hide.

He could hide nothing from Kristi, however. She stepped in to his uninjured side and slipped his arm around her shoulders. "I'm not fussing, Wolverine, but if you lean on me, it'll be easier. Gina, you go with Jubilee. I'll be okay here." To be honest, she didn't want anyone's help. Wolverine was _her_ bondmate and no one else was going to touch him. The sheer possessiveness of that thought surprised her.

Wolverine said nothing as they moved slowly towards the door, but she could sense him analysing the feelings bombarding him through the bond. She 'felt' him brush questingly across her mind, like the soft caress of a lover, and she sent him a gentle pulse of love and concern, followed by the fiercest spike of anger she could muster. When she felt him stiffen in her grip she knew she'd hit the mark. _Analyse that, bub _she thought to herself, grimly.

At the door, Gina faced the little group. "Once we get outside, we're going to make straight for the garages. I've got a vehicle there, gassed and ready to go. Hudson's going to go ahead to make sure the way's clear. Is everyone set?"

There were grim nods all round, with an added "Cut the yap, lady, an' let's get movin'" from Wolverine.

Gina nodded and gestured to Hudson to open the door. But as he did so, a strident alarm rang out all around and he slammed it shut again with a curse. "Damn it! That's the last thing we needed!"

Gina raised her hands. "This doesn't change anything! We'll just have to move faster, that's all. Once outside, keep your heads down and follow me and don't stop for anything. Let's go!"

Hudson yanked the door open and a blast of cold air and snow swirled into the stable. During their time inside, the weather had worsened – the wind had picked up and the snow was now falling heavily, being hurled around by the frequent gusts. It was into these blizzard-like conditions that the three X-Men and their liberators launched themselves, turning their heads away from the stinging snow to avoid being blinded.

Gina looked anxiously towards the house as she battled through the storm, knowing that the corridors and hallways within would already be swarming with guards, searching for the escapees. The exterior guards would be reinforcing the ground's borders and exits. They had only minutes to get away before the lockdown was complete.

Hudson had already disappeared into the night, forging ahead to make sure the garage wasn't cut off to them. Jubilee slipped over in the snow and Gina helped her up, clinging to each other as they battled on. Kristi brought up the rear with Wolverine, who was limping on gamely despite his many injuries.

All at once, Wolverine stopped, so suddenly that he almost pulled Kristi over. He pushed her away from him gently and turned a slow circle, head high, sniffing the scents being borne to him on the gusting wind.

Kristi took his arm, pulling at it urgently. "Wolverine, come on! We haven't got time for this!"

A low growl started deep in his throat and his eyes narrowed as he glared into the swirling snow. His claws shot out to their full extension, gleaming dully in the faint light filtering down from the house windows. The handkerchief around his left hand was sliced to pieces and fluttered wetly to the floor, describing bright red patches against the surrounding whiteness.

Wolverine could feel the hackles rising on the back of his neck. He had picked up a scent – it was faint, but he knew it as well as he knew his own.

"I know yer out there, Creed!" he howled into the wind. "I can smell ya! No amount o' pepper can hide yer stink from me this time!"

Kristi paled at his words and pulled ineffectually at his arm, trying desperately to lead him away. "Oh, no, Wolverine, not now! Please not now!"

But Wolverine raised his claws and howled into the night and Kristi sank to her knees in the snow beside him as their only chance of escape melted away ……

**NEXT: **Is Wolverine destined to spend the rest of his life as a living blood bank? Will Kristi and Jubilee be shipped to Genosha? Find out in the next exciting instalment ……!!


	19. Duel in the Snow

Hi everybody! Heads up, another chapter coming at ya!!

**Duel in the Snow**

Wolverine's animalistic howl almost made Jubilee's hair stand on end. She skidded to a halt in the snow, her sneakers finding no purchase on the slippy surface, and turned, forcing Gina around with her. She could see Wolverine standing with claws raised, head thrown back and howling like a madman. Kristi was beside him, pulling at his arm to get him to move, the knees of her jeans wet from presumably having fallen in the snow.

Gina paled, the X-Man's unearthly howl sending shivers down her spine. "What's wrong with him?"

Jubilee shook her head in return. "I don't know. Only one thing could set him off like this ……" She froze as a huge figure loomed into view atop the stable roof. "……and that's it," she finished, lamely.

Sabretooth strode confidently to the very edge of the roof and glared down at those gathered below. "I can smell yer blood, Wolverine!" he bellowed. "Seems like I did more damage than I first thought."

"Ya never could finish a job, Creed," shouted back Wolverine. "Ya ain't man enough!"

"Not man enough? Ta finish _you?_ I'll show ya who's man enough, ya little runt."

Gina screamed as Sabretooth launched himself off the roof, straight at Wolverine, his sharp talons spread before him. He crashed into the smaller X-Man with a bone-jarring thud and both men went sprawling in the snow, narrowly missing Kristi, who leapt out of the way with just inches to spare. Sabretooth recovered first, slashing at Wolverine viciously with his talons. The X-Man barely rolled out of his reach in time.

"We've got to stop them! Sabretooth'll kill him!" yelled Jubilee, as she and Gina began to run towards the two enraged ferals. They had now regained their footing and were circling each other like rabid wolves. Wolverine held his claws defensively in front of him, his face twisted with hatred for the larger mutant. Sabretooth was growling like his namesake, teeth bared, making little feinting lunges at the X-Man in an effort to lure him in.

Kristi, finally recovered from the shock of Sabretooth's sudden assault, powered up, her glittering corona casting a golden glow over the two combatants like a spotlight on a stage. She circled slowly, seeking a clear shot at Sabretooth without injuring Wolverine, but they were too close to risk it. Growling in frustration and unconsciously echoing her bondmate, she ran in from the left just as Wolverine swept his claws in front of him in a wide arc to fend off a lunge from Sabretooth. Caught off guard, the larger feral was forced to dodge back, putting himself in open ground and presenting the perfect target to Kristi. She raised a fist and prepared to take the shot ……

Gunshots rang out behind them, startling everyone but the two ferals, who continued to square off against each other, oblivious to everyone and everything around them. Kristi's starbolt went wide, hurtling across the courtyard like a golden comet and disappearing into the blizzard. The distant crash of breaking glass announced the fact that a window had failed to stop it.

Kristi whirled around, to see three armed guards approaching through the snow. Two, Drake and Ferro, carried concussion rifles, the third, Crowe, carried a regular automatic and it was he who had fired over their heads to get their attention. He waggled the weapon menacingly. "All right, muties, the show's over. You'll come quietly, if you know what's good fer you."

"Buster, the X-Men don't know the meaning of the word!" Jubilee flung out her hands, sending her fireworks exploding into the guards' faces. They reeled back, yelling and covering their eyes. Ferro slipped and fell, his finger tightening on his rifle's trigger as he landed heavily on his back. The blast knocked a huge chunk of masonry out of the side of the house with enough noise to attract every guard for miles around.

In the ensuing confusion, Sabretooth leapt for Wolverine with a blood curdling roar, slashing viciously at the smaller man and causing several more cuts to appear across his chest. Gina, knowing her particular power was more defensive than offensive, left the guards to Jubilee and courageously flung herself on Sabretooth's back, kicking at his sides and pulling his hair in an effort to force him to release the X-Man. Sabretooth roared in anger, spinning around to dislodge the annoyance on his back, but Gina clung like a limpet, giving Wolverine the chance to back off and put some space between him and the larger mutant. Seeing his prey retreating, Sabretooth howled and reached back, grabbing Gina by the sleeve and pulling her loose. He shook her like a dog would shake a rabbit and then flung her away from him with a contemptuous snarl. She landed awkwardly, momentarily stunned, but the brief interruption had given Wolverine chance to catch his breath. As Sabretooth advanced on him once more, he launched his own attack and this time it was Sabretooth's turn to stagger back, chest and face bearing bloody wounds.

Kristi ran to Gina's side, fearing the worst, but the girl was simply winded and was already struggling to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Bruised some, but I'll live." She shook her head, dazedly. "That guy sure packs a mean punch."

"Heads up, X-Men, reinforcements are coming!" Jubilee turned from her ongoing battle with the guards to yell to her two companions. While her attention was diverted, Crowe managed to dodge her fireworks and gain clear ground, raising his automatic for a shot. Catching the sudden movement out of the corner of her eye, Jubilee utilised one of Wolverine's more colourful curses and sent a stream of fireworks in Crowe's direction …… too late to stop him from firing. Kristi screamed as a hail of bullets ripped into both Sabretooth and Wolverine indiscriminately, sending them sprawling to the ground, the snow around them splattered red.

Like a woman possessed, she embraced her power and raised her hands, glowing so brightly in the darkness it almost hurt the eyes to look at her. Fury blazed in her heart as she summoned the power to destroy the guard that had hurt her bondmate, fully prepared to kill. But then a feather light touch of affection and concern flittered across her mind like butterfly wings, and the starbolt she hurled at Crowe hit him with so much force that he was thrown backwards and into the group of guards coming to their rescue. They went down like nine-pins, Crowe instantly knocked unconscious by the force of the impact. He would never know how close he came to breathing his last that day, and that he had been saved from that fate by the mutant he hated so much.

Kristi next turned her attention to Drake and Ferro, dealing with them in a similar fashion. By the time she lowered her hands, all the guards were either unconscious or so bruised and battered that all they could do was lie in the snow and groan.

A shout of warning from Gina alerted Kristi to a new danger. Sabretooth, despite bleeding profusely from several gunshot wounds to the chest, had recovered first and was standing over the still prone Wolverine, his talons raised for a killing blow to the X-Man's unprotected throat. With a feral snarl that would have done her bondmate proud, Kristi raised both fists and unleashed a devastating attack, catching Sabretooth full in the chest and hurling him clear across the courtyard. He slammed into the east wing of the house, just below the second storey windows, with a crash that was clearly heard over the gusting wind. He fell to the ground heavily and didn't get up.

Kristi immediately ran to Wolverine, kneeling at his side, her hands fluttering over his chest anxiously as she searched for new injuries. He was conscious, but bleeding badly from two bullet wounds in his right thigh. Kristi was relieved that he hadn't been hit anywhere vital but, even so, the pain leaking down the bond from her mate was so acute that she squeezed her eyes shut against its onslaught, gasping in shock. A sudden dampening of the emotion rush made her realise that Wolverine had reinforced his shields – his pain was still there, but it was no longer overwhelming her senses. Opening her eyes, she looked back into the icy blue orbs of her bondmate, understanding that her own shields were woefully inadequate and that her emotions were laid bare for him to read. She blushed at the thought and covered her embarrassment by helping him to sit up, painfully aware that she had been prepared to kill for Wolverine, the man she was now bonded to. Shame flooded over her and she gasped in horror at the memory of what she had almost become. The soft touch of Wolverine's hand on her wrist diverted her attention and her spine tingled as he whispered gentle words in her ear. "Don't go there, darlin'. He ain't worth it."

Jubilee and Gina came bounding across the courtyard, skidding to a halt in the snow. Kristi looked up as Jubilee dropped to her knees beside her, realising that only seconds had passed since she had blasted Sabretooth – it felt like eons.

Jubilee was her usual unforgiving self. "What the hell were you playing at, Wolverine, taking on Sabretooth like that? Have you got a death wish, or something?"

"Ya wouldn't understand, Jubilee," Wolverine growled in return, as Kristi began helping him to his feet. She winced at the amount of blood already staining his jeans, but there was no time to tend the wound now. They had to get to the garage, and fast, before further guards arrived on the scene.

"Can you walk?" asked Gina, anxiously.

"Lady, the day I can't walk is the day I give up livin'."

Jubilee ducked under his other arm as Kristi supported him on the right. "Let's go, before you get into any more trouble. There's not much left of you as it is."

Wolverine growled in response, but said nothing as they moved out after Gina, who was already heading for the garage. This time they arrived at their destination without incident although, as they slipped in through the rear access door, Kristi thought she heard shouts in the distance. Perhaps the unconscious guards had already been found? If so, it wouldn't be long before their companions put two and two together and guessed where the escapees were heading.

The garage was huge, roughly on a par with the one at the mansion, and stocked with cars of all makes and descriptions, all parked facing the doors, of which there were several set at intervals along the garage's longest wall. Each door gave access to the four cars parked directly in front of it. Kristi recognised a Dodge Viper with white racing stripes, a vintage Camero and a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren parked alongside the more commonplace saloons and jeeps belonging to the household. Ordinarily, she would have been in car heaven and would happily have spent several hours browsing their shiny sleekness, but now she gave them no more than a cursory glance as Gina led them along the row of silent sentinels searching for Hudson.

He was waiting anxiously for them partway down the row, next to a shiny black SUV, which had its motor running. He moved out into the space between the cars and the doors as he noticed them running towards him, his face lined with worry. "What the hell's been going on? Where have you been?"

"We ran into a spot of bother," replied Gina, simply, as she opened the SUV's passenger door. "Get in. We're going to have company and soon."

Jubilee immediately sprang into the front passenger seat, but Hudson hung back, shaking his head. "I can't go. Not without Rik."

Gina paused in the process of helping Kristi bundle Wolverine into the back seat. "He isn't here?"

"No. He's been drafted into one of the search parties and he can't get away without blowing his cover."

Gina grimaced. "Damn it! What will you do?"

"I'll stay here. Try to blend in with the other guards until me an' Rik can get away. We'll meet you at the barn."

Gina nodded, hesitantly, torn between her desire to get the X-Men to safety and a fierce instinct not to abandon a friend. The needs of the many finally outweighed her concern for Hudson. "Okay. But be careful, you hear? I don't like leaving you alone like this. If my father finds out you helped us, he'll go crazy."

"I know. But I can't leave without Rik. It wouldn't be right." Hudson paused and leaned in to press a gentle kiss to Gina's cheek. "Don't worry, we'll be careful. We haven't come this far to throw it all away now."

Gina blushed, putting a hand to her cheek where Hudson had kissed her. "Be safe, Mark," she whispered, softly. "I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you. Either of you."

Hudson smiled and then whirled around as voices sounded from the rear of the garage. Someone tried the door, which Gina had locked behind them, then shouted to attract the attention of his companions. "The door's locked! I think they're in here!"

Hudson pushed Gina towards the car. "Go! I'll handle things here!"

"But the doors …… ?"

"No time! Just go through them!"

Gina all but flung herself behind the steering wheel of the SUV, as someone outside turned his rifle on the door, blowing away the lock. Hudson raised his own rifle and fired off several shots into the air, shouting, "They're in here! Hurry!"

As guards burst in through the rear door, Gina floored the accelerator and Jubilee screamed as the vehicle hurtled towards the garage doors. Thinking fast, the young X-Man opened the car door and flung a handful of fireworks. They hit only a fraction of a second before the car did, but the doors crumpled like tissue paper under the combined assault, sending shards of wood flying in all directions as they rocketed out onto the driveway.

A shouted warning from Jubilee alerted Gina to the presence of guards in front of them, forming a bodily barricade, and she slewed the vehicle violently to the side to avoid hitting them. Bullets rattled off the bodywork and a concussion blast exploded just behind them, making the SUV buck in the shockwave. With nowhere else to go, Gina sent the car bouncing over a snow covered flower bed before speeding across a large, flat expanse, presumably a lawn.

Painfully aware that she had to get back onto the driveway, Gina swerved around a tree, fighting the steering as the vehicle's back wheels threatened to slide out from under them. Jubilee whooped and grabbed at the dashboard for support, but Gina miraculously regained control, exhaling in relief as the wheels once more found purchase in the slippy snow. Jubilee tossed her an anxious glance, but Gina kept her eyes on the route ahead, seeking a path through the bushes that lined the driveway.

"You'll have to go through," advised Kristi, leaning forward from the back seat, and Gina nodded. "I know. Hang on."

She selected the thinnest looking bush and drove straight for it, gritting her teeth in determination. The car lurched and bucked as it ploughed through, there was a grunt from Wolverine, and then abruptly they were on the driveway once more. Gina wrenched the wheel around as the car skidded at the change in direction and threatened to park them in the bushes lining the other side of the driveway, but she quickly regained control and nodded to herself in satisfaction. Nothing was going to stop her now.

"We're heading for the gate," she yelled to the others. "There's always at least one guard on duty and the gates are bound to be closed, so hang on. This'll be rough."

The X-Men nodded and braced themselves as best they could.

In only a few short seconds, the gates Gina had spoken of loomed at them through the snow studded darkness. At least eight feet high and made out of wrought iron, they were designed to keep out intruders, with all manner of security devices fitted on and around them. But Gina was determined to get out, not to get in, and she knew those security devices weren't designed to react to vehicles coming from the house itself – a major flaw in Gorman's security measures that she had somehow forgotten to point out to her father. With any luck, they would be through and long gone before the internal systems realised something had gone awry.

The two guards standing in front of the gates raised their rifles in a futile attempt to threaten them to stop. If anything, Gina forced the SUV to go even faster, trusting in the guards' personal sense of self preservation to get them out of the way before they were run down. Bullets rattled off the front of the car as they sped onward and Jubilee ducked as a crack appeared in her side of the windscreen. With bullets whistling all around, she daren't roll down the window and send her fireworks at the gates, for fear of being shot. It was all down to Gina and the SUV now.

To their credit, the guards stayed put right until the last second, obviously hoping that the vehicle's driver was averse to mowing down a fellow human being. But at that precise instant, Gina had no such qualms. She had had to endure years of her father's tyrannical behaviour, suffered the departure of her mother and the slow decline of her brother. Her father had tortured an X-Man and planned to send two others to Genosha to suffer a fate worse than death. She had been shot at, flung about by Sabretooth and, to top it all off, had had to leave two very close friends behind to fend for themselves and hopefully join them later. So it was no surprise that Gina wasn't feeling very charitable as she set the SUV on a collision course with the gates. She was almost sorry as the guards leapt out of the way in the nick of time.

There was an earsplitting sound of rending metal as the gates were torn from their supports. Something heavy banged down onto the roof of the car and it lurched violently, almost tearing the steering wheel from Gina's hands, but then they were through, tearing down the road that led to the house.

Jubilee whooped and banged her fist on the dashboard, while Gina made a show of wiping imaginary sweat from her forehead.

Wolverine had swivelled around in his seat to see out of the rear window. "There's a jeep followin' us," he announced, dryly.

"Not for long." Kristi wound her window down and leaned out, ignoring the snow and the wind that gusted into her eyes and blew her hair about.

The starbolt she unleashed at the jeep blew most of its front section away. The vehicle was thrown up into the air, where it spun once before crashing back down to the earth, landing heavily on its side. Dazed guards clambered out of the wreckage.

"Nice shootin', Tex!" enthused Jubilee.

"Is that it?" asked Kristi, hardly daring to believe their good fortune. "Are we free?"

Gina nodded, grimly. "For the moment. Now we have to make sure we _remain_ free. I, for one, don't intend to let them take me back alive."

It was a sentiment echoed by the X-Men.

**NEXT:** Roberts learns about his daughter's mutation! And remember those bullets that shot Wolverine? Well, they're no ordinary bullets ……!!

Just for the record, I wrote this story in the days before Genosha was taken over by Magneto. At the time of this story, Genosha was governed by the Magistrates, and mutants were controlled and used as slave labour. Hence the X-Men's reluctance not to be shipped there ….. Hope that clears up any queries!


	20. Revelations

Hi guys! Just had two days off work, which gave me a great chance to catch up on my writing! Hence, another chapter!

**Mail Call:**

**nileena:** Yep, boys will be boys! Wolvie can never resist a good scrap, even when there's escaping to be done! Incidentally, Kristi hasn't learned how to erect shields in her mind yet, which is why her emotions are so open to Wolvie. Being a senior X-Man, he's so much more adept at raising shields, so she won't be picking up as much emotion from him - at least not unless he lets her!

**best05:** Welcome aboard! Hope you enjoy the latest chapter!

Now, onward ..... !

**Revelations**

Gorman tapped hesitantly on the door to Roberts' study. He wasn't looking forward to making his report. His boss wasn't well known for his tolerant nature and failure of any kind was dealt with harshly. With the news he had to offer, he would be lucky to come out of this encounter with his career intact.

A voice from within bid him enter and Gorman slowly opened the door and stepped into the study. Roberts was seated behind an ornate desk and regarded his chief of operations intently over a steeple made of his fingers as he closed the door behind him and walked across the plush carpet to stand before him.

"You asked to see me, Sir?" Gorman was nervous and it clearly showed, despite his efforts to conceal it. Roberts leaned back in his chair with a feeling of intense satisfaction. He enjoyed the fear he instilled in his employees. Fear made them loyal, made them think twice before doing something that would incur his wrath. Unfortunately, fear did not make them infallible. They were still capable of making mistakes and, by all accounts, a huge one had been made this particular evening. He had some idea of what had happened, thanks to a young and power hungry newcomer called Vasquez, but he needed the finer details and only Gorman could provide those.

"Your report, Gorman, if you please."

Gorman stood straighter, almost coming to attention. "The muties have escaped, Sir. All three of them."

"Escaped." It wasn't a question, it was a statement of fact.

"Yes, Sir."

Roberts leaned forward onto his desk. "Gorman, I figured that out for myself. No hard feat, considering all the god-damned noise you made in trying to recapture them. What I want to know is, how did they manage to escape? You have forty men under your command here, Gorman. Can you tell me how three powerless muties managed to evade them?"

"Begging your pardon, Sir, but the muties weren't powerless." Gorman reached into a pocket and withdrew three inhibitor collars. "We found these in the stable, Sir. Two are intact. The third is in pieces. Slashed. By claws."

Roberts held out his hand for the collars, dropping two on the desk and turning an intact one around in his fingers, studying it intently. "This collar has not been tampered with," he observed, sourly. "To release it this way, the muties would have needed a remote."

Gorman nodded, hesitantly. "Yes, Sir. One is missing from the lab."

Roberts frowned and leaned back in his chair. "Why do I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me, Gorman?" He banged his fist down on the desk, making several small objects jump into the air. "I want a full report and I want it now! No omissions!"

"Sir!" Gorman had been dreading this moment, but had known it would come sooner or later. There was no avoiding it now. "Sir, the muties didn't escape by themselves. They had help. At least two guards and …… your daughter aided their escape."

"My daughter?" Roberts looked puzzled. "Gina had a hand in this?" Vasquez had not volunteered that piece of information.

"Yes, Sir. But that's not all. May I?" Gorman gestured to the computer terminal on the desk and Roberts inclined his head, granting him access. Gorman swivelled the keyboard around and began tapping instructions, talking as he worked. "Dietrich was attacked in the monitor room and the cameras and recording system were sabotaged. But Spunkmeyer is a computer whizz-kid and he managed to retrieve enough footage to show this:" He tapped the enter key and stood back as the recording began to play.

The image was blurred and streaked with static, but clearly showed Gina and a guard Roberts recognised as Mark Hudson standing outside the door to Wolverine's cell. A burst of static obscured most of the girl's shapeshift, but it was obvious his daughter had undergone some form of transformation. He watched, transfixed, as she slipped into the room, returning moments later with Wolverine.

"Sir, it would appear that your daughter is a mutant."

Roberts' face clouded over as he continued to stare at the screen, now showing nothing more than an empty corridor. Gorman tensed, bracing himself for the worst. But Roberts simply stood, picked up his cane and moved out from behind the desk, pacing slowly back and forth across the room's single window, impeded slightly by his limp. Gorman waited patiently, but nervously. Pacing was better than shouting. Pacing he could handle, if it meant his boss kept a tight rein on his emotions.

Finally, Roberts spoke, still moving slowly back and forth across the room. "Where are the muties now, Gorman?"

"We don't know, Sir. Three guards tried to follow, but their jeep was destroyed."

"And the traitorous guards?"

"Another jeep is missing, Sir. We think they've taken it to rendezvous with the muties."

Roberts frowned, thinking deeply. "So presumably the muties will have to stop somewhere to wait for them, which will hold them up considerably." He stopped pacing abruptly and turned to face the guard commander, his face hard. "I want you to launch a retrieval mission, Gorman. Take as many guards as you wish and use whatever force you deem necessary, but bring Wolverine back here. My work here is not finished and he will pay for the trouble he has caused. Take Sabretooth with you. It's time he started earning his keep."

"Yes, Sir. And the others, Sir?"

"Kill them. They are not important."

"But your daughter ……?"

"I said, kill them, Gorman! Are my instructions so hard to understand?"

"No, Sir. I understand."

"Then go. I want Wolverine back here by daybreak. My son's life depends upon it."

Gorman nodded, and quickly turned to leave. As he closed the study door behind him, he wondered what kind of father could pass a death sentence so casually on his only daughter.

**oooOOOooo**

It felt as though they had been driving for hours, through a landscape that came and went around them in a snowy blur. At first, they had made all possible haste, speeding along the snow covered roads with no thought for danger, eager to put as much distance between themselves and the house as possible. But the further they went, the worse the weather and the road conditions got, until they were finally forced to slow down and proceed with more caution. Twice they got caught in drifts – the first time Gina was convinced their wild flight was over, until Kristi had climbed out of the car to assess the situation and beckoned Jubilee to join her. With Jubilee utilising her fireworks to blast away the snow, and Kristi pushing with her starbolts, they had managed to free the SUV and carry on their way. But fine controlling her power enough to push and not destroy the SUV was extremely draining and, after the second drift, Kristi seriously doubted she would have the strength to get them out of another one. She hoped she would not get the chance to find out.

But as anxious as she was over their predicament, Kristi was more worried for Wolverine. Since leaving the house he had drifted in and out of consciousness, staying under for the greatest time only to awake again feeling disoriented and obviously in great pain. During his lucid periods, Kristi tried to ease his discomfort as much as she was able, but it was always a relief to her when he passed out again, knowing he could no longer experience the pain from his wounds. She knew it was his healing factor causing the frequent blackouts in order to work its miracles on a body that wasn't causing any further damage to itself, but this didn't make her heart any less troubled. To all intents and purposes, his healing factor didn't look to be making any progress at all. Jubilee had informed her that, at his peak, any bullets Wolverine took would have been expelled within minutes and the wound would have completely healed only seconds after that. Yet hours later, Wolverine still bore the scars of his battle with Sabretooth in the cell and several of the larger wounds were still slowly bleeding, notably his side and the gunshot wounds to his leg.

Gina had produced a small medical kit from the glove compartment earlier, which yielded a pack of dressings, some bandages and adhesive strip. There was no antiseptic, but at least Kristi had been able to dress Wolverine's side as best she could. Unable to reach his leg wound through his jeans, she had simply wrapped a bandage around it and tied it as tightly as she could. Her medical knowledge was extremely limited, and she prayed she had done enough to see him safely to their destination.

Kristi sighed and turned to look out of her side window, but could see nothing but the swirling snow. Ahead, the SUV's headlights lit up a brief section of road which seemed no different to any other stretch of road they had previously travelled on. Ghostly shapes moved just beyond the reach of the headlight's beam – trees heavily laden with snow and swaying in the gusting wind. The windscreen wipers were working overtime to prevent the glass from being overloaded. Already Gina had had to stop several times to clear the window – with her field of vision rapidly narrowing it looked like another stop was due any time soon.

For her part, Gina seemed to know where they were going, but Kristi knew she would have been hopelessly lost within ten minutes of leaving the house. The blizzard wasn't helping either – it was both terrifying yet awe-inspiring in its fury, and Kristi was glad that she and Jubilee were not alone with Wolverine, and at the mercy of the storm.

As if sensing her thoughts, Wolverine groaned and stirred against her and she hurriedly turned to see if he was comfortable. He was still unconscious, but seemed strangely restless, as though dreaming. The impressions coming to her through the bond were chaotic and disjointed, making her feel slightly nauseous herself, but she brushed aside her own discomfort, wracked with concern for her mate. Gently, she pulled aside his shirt and jacket to check the dressing she had applied to the wound at his side earlier. The white cloth was almost completely stained red and she bit at her lip anxiously. The wound didn't seem to be improving at all and she wondered if an infection had set in, which his healing factor was having trouble dealing with. It was a possibility that brought no comfort whatsoever.

Checking the bandage around his leg, she adjusted it slightly and tied it tighter. As she finished, Wolverine groaned again and muttered something under his breath that she didn't catch and she put her hand on his forehead to calm him. She gasped, alarmed at how hot his skin felt to the touch.

"Gina, we're going to have to stop soon. Wolverine's burning up. I don't think he can take any more of this bouncing around."

Gina slowed the vehicle enough to toss a quick glance to the back seat. "We're nearly there, Kristi. Twenty minutes at the most. Can he last until then?"

"I hope so, but he seems pretty bad to me."

"I'll put my foot down. Hang on."

Jubilee swivelled in her seat to look with worried eyes at her team-mate, mentor and friend. She reached out to put a hand on his knee. "Hang in there, Wolvie," she whispered.

Just under twenty minutes later, Gina turned the SUV off the road onto a track which led off between the trees. The snow here was quite deep and the going was slow and treacherous. Several times, the vehicle got stuck, but was able to free itself without any help from Kristi. Finally, they pulled up before the double doors of a large wood barn. Gina opened her door and hopped out into the snow, leaning back in to give instructions to Jubilee. "I'll go and open the doors. Just drive the car straight in and park up."

Jubilee slid over into the driving seat as Gina trudged forward through the snow and opened the barn doors. Then, with a couple of kangaroo jumps to start with, Jubilee drove the SUV slowly into the barn, parked to one side and shut off the engine, leaving the headlights on to see by.

She immediately jumped out and hurried around to Wolverine's door. Kristi was already there and together the two girls managed to get him out of the car and over to a pile of hay in the center of the barn, where they lay him down and tried to make him comfortable. Kristi took off her jacket and put it under his head to serve as a pillow, shivering as the cold air hit her, but willing to endure it for her mate. Jubilee tossed her friend a worried glance as she noticed the bloodied dressings, but Kristi could only shrug in reply.

Gina closed the barn doors, shutting out the wind and snow, and hurried to the back of the SUV, where she opened the tailgate and pulled out two battery lamps which she lit and placed on the floor. She was then able to turn off the headlights, to conserve the battery.

Jubilee wandered over to see what she was doing as she returned to the car and began to pull out a hamper. "What you got there?"

"Hot food and drinks," responded Gina, opening the hamper and taking out a flask. "It's cold out here. We wouldn't last long without this."

Jubilee blew into her hands. "You got that right." She mentally saluted Gina's common sense and planning. "So where are we now?" she asked, accepting a mug of hot soup from the other girl.

"About sixty five miles from the house." Gina poured soup into two more mugs as she spoke. "This barn is owned by friends of mine. They oppose my father's ideas, so they won't mind us using it."

"Does your father know about it? Will he find us here?"

"I hope not." Gina paused in the act of replacing the flask top, considering. "He'll do everything he can to get Wolverine back. I would imagine he's already despatched a search party. But he doesn't know of this place, so we should be safe here for a while."

Jubilee looked around at their surroundings. The barn looked warm and safe in the light from the two lamps, but outside the wind was gusting against the walls. She was glad they had shelter from the storm. "So what happens now?"

"We wait for Coffey and Hudson to join us. If they managed to get away not long after we did, they shouldn't be too far behind us. Once they get here, we'll rest up a bit and set out again. The sooner we get to a phone so that you guys can contact the rest of your team, the better. Although it might be best if we travel by night – less chance of being tracked that way."

"We're completely in your hands, Gina. You just tell us what to do and we'll do it." Jubilee grinned and saluted Gina with her mug of soup. "You got us out – it's your show now."

Gina grinned and picked up the two mugs she had filled. "Drink your soup and get some rest," she announced. "That's an order! And for my next task ….." She indicated the mugs. "…… Feed the troops!"

**oooOOOooo**

Kristi watched as Jubilee trotted off to see what Gina was up to, then turned back to Wolverine. Kneeling at his side, she removed his leg bandage with gentle fingers. The wounds had finally stopped bleeding, but it pained her to see how much blood he had lost – the leg of his jeans was soaked red almost to the knee. She deftly replaced the bandage with a clean one, mourning the absence of antiseptic.

Wolverine grunted as she pulled the bandage tight and she glanced up, but he was still unconscious. Finishing with his leg, she moved up to his side and gently pulled his shirt and jacket out of the way. Peeling away the adhesive strip, she removed the blood soaked dressing and put it aside, intending to dispose of it later. The wound she revealed was livid red and still bleeding slightly from claw marks that were startlingly visible against the paleness of the surrounding skin. Biting back a flash of revulsion, she touched it carefully, feeling the heat radiating from it like a furnace. _Oh, God, was it infected?_ She silently cursed Sabretooth. There was no telling what he carried on those talons of his.

Wolverine stirred at her touch and she was surprised when his hand moved to cover hers. "Tickles," he declared, simply.

Kristi shifted position slightly so she could see him better. "How do you feel?" she asked. It was a redundant question, considering she already knew the answer, but she had to say something.

"Feel bad. Probably look worse. Where are we?"

"A hideout of Gina's somewhere. We're going to rest up a while before we set out again." As she talked, she deftly fitted a clean dressing in place over Wolverine's wound. "I wish we had some antiseptic. I think this is getting infected and I don't know what to do." She looked up as a shiver went through his body. "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

"No. Cold."

Kristi put a hand to his forehead. "But you're burning up! How can you be cold?"

"Healin' fever, I guess." Wolverine shivered again and closed his eyes. For a moment, Kristi thought he'd passed out again, but as Gina moved quietly towards them he tilted his head and regarded her, dazedly.

"Is he awake?" Gina whispered softly. When she saw that he was, she crouched down beside Kristi. "I've brought you both some soup. See if you can get him to take some."

Wolverine's nostrils flared at the smell of the hot soup and he suddenly realised he was starving. He hadn't eaten for hours – he'd been fed while in the cell, albeit somewhat spasmodically and reluctantly, but the food hadn't exactly been designed to keep a feral in tip top condition. He needed meat – his healing factor depended on it – but if meat wasn't forthcoming he would make do with what he got.

Kristi helped him to sit up slightly and held the mug for him to sip from. The position put a great strain on his side, but he was willing to suffer it in order to fill his stomach. When the mug was empty, Gina took it and trotted off.

In her absence, Kristi took a sip of her own soup. It was hot and delicately flavoured. Chicken, she guessed, with a hint of mushroom thrown in for good measure. It was the best thing she'd tasted in days.

By the time Gina returned carrying a blanket, she'd almost finished off her own helping, despite the liquid's heat. She was amazed at how hungry she felt and reluctantly put down her mug to take the blanket gratefully from Gina. As she moved to arrange the blanket over the wounded X-Man, she suddenly noticed the red stain on the bandage around his leg.

"God, no, Wolverine! You're bleeding again!"

Wolverine moved his leg slightly, causing the stain to spread. "Bullets are still in there," he announced, matter-of-factly. "Wound won't heal until they're out."

"But I thought your healing factor expelled bullets on it's own," questioned Kristi, puzzled. "I know your healing factor's working slower than normal, but why are they still in there?"

"They're carbonadium. Sensed it the moment they entered."

"Carbonadium? But what …… ?"

"Carbonadium is a more malleable form of adamantium. Not as strong, but it reacts badly with my healin' factor."

Kristi closed her eyes and took a breath. "Oh, God. Why am I not liking where this is leading?"

"When you say your healing factor 'reacts badly', Wolverine, just how bad are we talking here?" Gina's brow furrowed into a frown. She was putting two and two together and coming up with a plausible answer but she needed Wolverine to confirm it.

Wolverine looked back at her, his eyes two icy blue pools she felt she could fall into. "It shuts down," he declared, simply.

Kristi threw her hands in the air. "Oh geez, Wolverine …… !"

Jubilee chose that moment to wander over, muching noisily on a biscuit. "What's up?"

"Oh, things just get better and better, Jubilee! Wolverine's healing factor is already operating on a low ebb, and now he's been shot with carbonadium bullets that shut it down completely. "

Jubilee looked from Kristi to Gina. "This is bad."

Gina nodded, grimly. "Tell me about it."

"So what do we do now?"

"Only one thing we _can_ do, kid." Wolverine paused, fixing each of the girls in turn with a steely gaze. "The bullets have to come out."

Jubilee snorted. "This isn't a med-lab, Wolvie, this is a freaking barn and, as such, is a little lacking in the medical equipment department. And even if any of us were medically qualified to perform such a procedure, which we're not, what the hell are we supposed to remove the bullets with? With a pitchfork?"

Wolverine grinned mirthlessly and unsheathed a claw.

"No. With these …."

**NEXT: **"Eww, that is so gross!"


	21. First Cut is the Deepest

Hi everybody! First of all, many thanks to **Hukkanen **and **nileena **for reviewing the last chapter! I really do appreciate all your comments!

Please be aware that this chapter contains some scenes which gentle folks might consider a bit gory! Also, there's a certain amount of swearing from Wolverine - although, to be honest, I'd swear if I were full of bullets too! Just thought I'd warn you, as I don't want to offend anyone!

That said, I hope everyone enjoys my latest offering! And remember, your reviews are always greatly appreciated!

**First Cut is the Deepest**

Kristi stared at Wolverine in horror. "You have got to be joking!"

Wolverine shook his head, slowly re-sheathing the single claw he had ejected. "Not jokin', darlin'. The bullets have ta come out. An' yer gonna have ta help me."

"What?" Kristi drew back slightly in alarm. "You're crazy! I …… no! I'm not doing it! I won't!" she added, forcefully, glaring round at Jubilee and Gina.

"Kristi ……"

"No, Wolverine, I'm not doing it! I'm not going to help you cut yourself to pieces!"

She made as if to stand and walk away, but Wolverine's hand shot out and caught her around the wrist. She struggled helplessly against his grip. Wounded or not, he was still stronger than most men. "Let go!"

"No. Not until ya see sense." He glanced quickly at Jubilee and Gina. "Give us a minute here, will ya, kids?"

"Hey …… !"

"Come on, Jubilee, let's go check out the sleeping arrangements." Gina stood and pulled the indignant Jubilee up with her, pushing her in the direction of the SUV. Wolverine waited until they were out of earshot before looking to Kristi once more. "We need ta talk, darlin' ……"

She twisted her hand in his grasp. "Let go, Wolverine. I'm not doing it and that's final!"

"Kristi. Kristi, stop that an' look at me!" His no-nonsense tone actually shocked her into doing as she was told. "Listen ta me, darlin'. Carbonadium usually only slows my healin' factor down. But it's already slowed, so the next step is obvious. Total shut down. It's happenin' already. I can feel it. No big deal in itself, but no healin' factor means no protection from adamantium poisonin'."

"Adamantium poisoning?" asked Kristi, softly, her eyes wide.

Wolverine released her hand, figuring she was not going to bolt now. "The adamantium coverin' my skeleton leaks poisons inta my blood stream. The only thing keepin' me alive is my healin' factor. Figure it out fer yerself, darlin'."

Kristi inhaled sharply, her hand flying to cover her mouth in horror. She sat like that for a couple of seconds, then abruptly she folded her arms, fixing Wolverine with a steely eyed glare. "You know, Wolverine, all we wanted was a simple escape. Get out, get picked up by the X-Men and go home. Not much to ask for, is it? And then _you_ have to go and tangle with Sabretooth and get yourself shot. With carbonadium. A simple ordinary bullet isn't good enough for the mighty Wolverine! No! It has to be carbonadium! ……"

"I didn't load the gun, Kristi ……"

"…… Well, you know what, Wolverine? I'm sick of this whole affair! All I want to do is go home, but now I have to dig bullets out of a crazy X-Man! I give up!"

"Attagirl!" He paused a moment. "You done now?"

"Yes!"

"Good, 'cause time's wastin'. We need ta get movin' before ……"

"No, wait, Wolverine." Kristi put her hand on his chest, forcing him to look at her. "Just one question. Why me? Why not Gina, or Jubilee?"

Wolverine looked back into her chocolate brown eyes, seeing himself reflected there. "Because yer linked ta me, darlin'," he said, simply.

Kristi rocked back on her heels, momentarily stunned. It was the first time he had acknowledged the bond between them and the admission had come as something of a surprise.

"I can see through your eyes, if ya relax an' let me in," Wolverine explained, choosing to ignore her incredulous glance. "It's already happened a time or two."

"When?" asked Kristi, softly. _Dear God, don't let it be any time embarrassing._

"That's not important right now. Fact is, I could get the bullets out in seconds myself, but they're in an awkward position an' if I sit up an' twist I'm puttin' a strain on my damaged side. An' if I pass out from the pain the job won't get done an' I'm back ta square one. But if ya let me see the wound through your eyes, the bullets'll be out before ya know it. I need ya ta guide me, darlin'. Simple truth."

Kristi hesitated a moment, pursing her lips as she thought everything through. Finally, she nodded. "Okay. Call the others over here and let's get this over with. But you'd better not get shot again, Wolverine, 'cause so help me, I'm not gonna do this again …."

**oooOOOooo**

"Okay. What do you want me to do?" Gina looked anxiously between Kristi and Wolverine, awaiting her instructions. Something seemed to have happened between the two of them while she and Jubilee had been away – Kristi seemed more confident and self-assured, and not just about the upcoming operation. It was a change in her whole demeanour, as though their own Kristi had suddenly been swapped for a whole new person. For his part, Wolverine seemed unable to tear his eyes away from the girl, as though scared she was going to be whisked away from him at any moment. Gina idly wondered if it had anything to do with the connection they shared. This was, after all, the most time they had spent together since their bond had manifested.

"Gina, I want ya ta sit down there an' hold my legs still while I work. Lay across 'em if ya have to, but don't let 'em move. Not the simplest o' tasks, I know, but if I move my hand may slip an' cut something vital."

"Geez!"

Wolverine glowered at the firecracker. "Get over here, Jubilee, an' keep an eye on me. If I pass out, or if the healin' coma takes over, we may have a problem."

"Only one? Wonders never cease!"

Wolverine chose to ignore his young partner, figuring she was nervous, turning instead to his bondmate. "Kristi, my claws retract automatically when I'm unconscious. If that happens, ya'll need ta apply pressure ta my arm here ……" He indicated a spot just behind his wrist. "That'll make the muscle spasm an' prevent the claw from retractin'."

"And what do we do if we want the claw to retract?" asked Kristi, quietly.

"Jus' massage the same area, an' my hand behind the knuckles," Wolverine informed her. "The muscles will relax an' allow the claw to sheath itself. Jus' make sure yer damn well finished though, 'cause once the claw's re-sheathed ya won't get it out again till I'm conscious."

"'kay."

Wolverine took a breath. "So. Ready?"

"Not in the slightest, but I really don't have a choice, do I?"

Before he could reply, a shudder passed through his body. He sucked in a sharp breath, eyes squeezing shut, his hands tightening into fists as his sides – the only visible evidence of what he must be feeling. Kristi felt an answering burning in her veins, as though her blood had turned to acid. _Oh Lord, was the poisoning starting already?_

She clutched anxiously at Wolverine's hand. "Wolverine? Are you okay?"

Wolverine cracked open an eye. "M'okay," he confirmed, somewhat breathlessly. "We'd better get movin'. I'm runnin' outta time." He took another deep breath, mentally preparing himself. "I'm goin' ta lower my shields, Kristi. I'll seal off as much o' the pain as I can, but some'll leak through."

Kristi nodded, biting her lip nervously. "'kay. Go ahead."

Despite being prepared for it, Kristi knew the instant his shields came down. She gasped as her mind was all but flooded with a tidal wave of impressions and feelings, all tumbling over one another like leaves caught in a sudden breeze. A wash of dizziness passed over her and she flung out a hand, only distantly recognising that someone had taken it and was hanging on tightly. Was this what it was like for Wolverine? With not knowing how to erect shields, was she constantly bombarding him with her emotions?

An answering pulse of affirmation shocked her, and she looked down to ground herself in her bondmate's steely blue gaze. "S'okay," he whispered, softly. "My mind's not the tidiest o' places at the best o' times. I'm used to it."

She was just about to reply when the pain hit her, almost knocking her off her knees. Kristi gritted her teeth and fought the pain down to a more manageable level, wondering how on earth Wolverine could suffer this constantly and yet still talk coherently. If it was her, Kristi was sure she would have been senseless and unconscious hours ago.

When she looked once more to Wolverine, he grimaced apologetically. "Sorry. Some got through."

"Some?" _Geez!_

Wolverine unsheathed a claw, watching in grim fascination as a drop of blood rolled slowly down the blade and dripped off the end. "Okay. Now fer the hard part. Open yer mind and let me in, darlin'."

"How do I do that?"

"Just relax an' I'll do the rest. That's it." Wolverine grunted as Kristi simultaneously saw a confusing image of a chrysanthemum bloom lying in the palm of a blue gloved hand. "Relax, darlin', yer startin' ta pull from me, That's it, ya've got it now."

Trusting in Wolverine's far superior experience in dealing with all things of a psychic nature, Kristi emptied her mind and tried to breathe slow and evenly, allowing her bondmate to make the connection he so desperately needed. It wasn't long before she heard him grunt in satisfaction.

"Okay, ya got me. How d'ya feel?"

Kristi looked up and around. Jubilee grinned encouragingly from her vantage point on Wolverine's opposite side. Apart from the added 'weight' of Wolverine's emotions in her head she felt no different and said so. "Should I do?" she asked, worriedly.

Wolverine shook his head. "Probably not, from your point o' view, but this is all new ta me. Gotta take it step by step." He brought up his hand with the single claw extended, slicing effortlessly through bandage and jeans alike to give access to the bullet wounds, both of which were still oozing blood. "Take my hand an' point it in the right direction, Kristi, jus' don't get yer fingers under the blades or ya'll slice 'em off."

Kristi did as she was told, feeling the heat of his hand beneath the coolness of her own nervous fingers. The fever was obviously still raging through his body and, with no healing factor to counter it, it was free to ravage his system unchecked.

Once upon a time, touching Wolverine's hand would have sent her heart-rate soaring. She still felt that familiar pulse of desire, but now, however, all she could focus on was the fact that if they didn't get the bullets out, he would die. It was a simple as that. His life depended on her now and she would not fail him.

She brought the tip of his claw to rest at the very edge of the first bullet hole. Wolverine nodded at the placing. "Good. Now steady my hand while I push."

Before Kristi could react, he plunged the claw deep, digging around for the bullet. Kristi blanched as fresh blood began to flow freely from the wound. "Oh, God, I think I'm gonna be sick!"

"Stay with me, girl." Wolverine forced the words past teeth gritted in determination. "An' don't close yer eyes! I can't 'see' if ya do."

Kristi glanced sideways at Gina as Wolverine pushed further. The girl looked a little green faced, and obviously wasn't enjoying this any more than Kristi was.

A metallic scrape attracted Kristi's attention back to the task at hand. Wolverine's hand tensed beneath her fingers. "I've got it," he rasped. "Jus' need ta…… lever it out."

His hand tilted as he tried to get the tip of his claw beneath the bullet. Beads of sweat stood out on his forehead and his breath came in raspy gasps. Jubilee looked up in alarm, but Kristi shook her head at her, motioning her to stay seated.

"It's comin'." Wolverine gritted his teeth and pushed further, prompting a disgusted squeak from Jubilee. "It's …… comin'. Got it!"

With an obscene slurping sound, the bullet popped free of the wound and dropped into the hay by his side. Kristi picked it up and flung it to the back of the barn, wiping her bloodied hand down her jeans.

Wolverine removed his claw from the wound. Kristi tried not to look at the blood that dripped from it. "Okay." He took a breath, using his free hand to wipe the sweat from his brow. "Bullet number two."

Kristi re-positioned his hand and once again he pushed down into the wound, seeking the bullet. Gina looked away, breathing shallow as a wave of nausea washed over her. "Oh, God ……"

Looking away wasn't an option for Kristi. As Wolverine dug deeper for the bullet which was proving more elusive than the previous one, she tried to distract her mind from all the blood, picturing herself driving along a sunny country road, the top down on her car, the wind in her hair ……

"Kristi! I'm seein' Mustangs, fer Christ's sakes!"

"Sorry!" Kristi blushed brilliant red. "I didn't realise I could do that!"

"Well, evidently ya can, so quit it till we're finished here. I've …… nearly got it."

Once again, a metallic scraping sound announced the fact that Wolverine's claw was making contact with the bullet. Bit by bit, he began to ease it out, grunting at the effort. "Nearly …… nearly …… Urghh! …… Christ, it's a stubborn sonofabitch!"

Gina gulped audibly. "Somebody tell me when it's all over, 'cause I think I'm gonna faint ……"

"Dammit!" Wolverine spat out a curse. "I can't get the leverage. Kristi, can ya see it?"

Kristi steeled herself and forced herself to look into the wound. A silvery glint amongst the blood and gore of Wolverine's leg revealed the bullet's position. "Yes, I can see it! It's nearly out, but I think it's caught under something. What is that?" she added to Gina, pointing.

Gina leaned over for a look, going even greener, if that was possible, at the sight of all the blood. "God knows! An artery? A muscle? I'm not a doctor, I've no idea."

"Kristi, yer gonna …… gonna have ta get yer fingers in there. Pull it out."

"What? No!"

"You have ta, Kristi. Yer fingers can do what my claw can't. Get in there an' get the bugger out. I don't think …… I'm gonna …… last much longer."

Kristi looked into the wound, fighting down a wave of revulsion. Her free hand hovered just above the bullet hole, fingers poised …… and then she balked.

"I …… I can't!"

"Yes, ya can, Kristi. Jus' …… jus' ferget what yer doin' an' …… an' get in there."

It was the fact that Wolverine's voice sounded so strained that finally made Kristi's mind up for her. That, and the fact that his pain was beginning to leak down the bond once more, evidence that he was starting to lose control.

Steeling herself and taking a deep calming breath, she pushed thumb and forefinger into the bullet wound and began to feel for the bullet. "Oh …… oh dear God."

Wolverine grunted and shuddered at her touch and she could feel his leg tremble beneath her hand. The pain must be indescribable, yet he was forcing himself to bear it, biting down on his lip so hard that blood actually began to flow. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, knowing that there was nothing she could do to ease that pain for him.

Blood and flesh squelched between her fingers and Jubilee let out a muffled groan. "Eww, that is just so gross ……"

"Tell me about it," hissed Kristi, through clamped teeth. "It's not your fingers in here."

Wolverine abruptly let out a rough groan, startling her momentarily. She looked up to see his eyelids fluttering closed.

Jubilee lunged forward. "We're losing him! Kristi, quick!"

"Oh , geez …… !" Kristi made a grab for his arm, just as Wolverine's shields slammed into place once more, cutting her off from the worst of his emotions and pain. Even losing consciousness, he'd had the foresight to protect his mate.

Gripping his wrist like her life depended on it, Kristi was relieved to see that his claw stayed in place. Biting her lip, she looked up at Jubilee and then sideways at the green faced Gina. "You're on your own now, Kristi," she said, softly. "Only you can save him."

"I know." Kristi looked back at Wolverine's sweat soaked face, peaceful and unworried now in sleep, and her heart leapt at the sight of him. Even under intense stress and pain he'd done everything he could to protect her from the worst of everything he was going through, and she loved him for that. He was her man, her mate, and she'd be damned if she was going to let him die of adamantium poisoning now, after all they'd been through. Come hell or high water, the final bullet was coming out! Now!

"Gina, bring that lamp over here and angle it so that I can see." Kristi quickly assumed control of the situation. "Jubilee, hold him down so that he doesn't move. I'm going to dig deep. I know he's unconscious, but if he twitches I may slip and do some worse damage. I don't want that."

Jubilee did as she was told as Gina trotted over with the lamp, holding it over Kristi's shoulder. "Will this do?"

"That's great, Gina." She took a breath. "Okay. Here we go."

One hand holding Wolverine's claw in place so that the bullet couldn't slip back any further, Kristi once again delved deep into the wound with her thumb and forefinger, reaching for the tiny piece of metal that was causing so much trouble. Wolverine stirred restlessly beneath her, groaning and flinging out his free hand to clutch helplessly at the hay around him. Jubilee all but flung herself over him to keep him still, looking up in alarm as a deep growl rumbled through his chest.

"Hurry up, Kristi! He's a lot stronger than he looks!"

"I'm trying!" Kristi's brow furrowed with the effort of trying to reach the elusive bullet. "It …… keeps …… slipping!"

Spitting out a colourful curse that made Gina blink in surprise, she pushed deeper, feeling her finger slide across the bullet's uppermost surface. Almost there …… Almost …… there …… And then she had it! Thumb and forefinger closed firmly around the offending object and she pulled. With a sickening sucking sound, the bullet came free and she stared at it in fascination. This tiny little thing had caused so much trouble … ?

Jubilee eased herself off Wolverine, as he gave a final shudder and lay still. She put a hand to his chest, looking up at Kristi with a tired smile. "S'okay. He's still breathing."

"Is it over?" Gina looked over Kristi's shoulder at the bullet clenched between her fingers. "God, that was awful! I never want to see anything like that ever again, if I live to be one hundred million!"

"Ditto." Kristi gave the bullet a final glare and flung it to the back of the barn to join its companion. Her hands, when she spread them before her, were covered in blood. "Oh ….." She looked around her for something to wipe them on.

"There's a bottle of water in the car," Gina informed her. "Hang on a sec."

She put down the lamp and scampered off, returning seconds later with a large bottle of water. Kristi used half of it to wash the bullet wounds out, thoroughly soaking a large area of Wolverine's jeans as she did so, but she figured that was the least of his problems. The remaining half she used to wash her hands with and to clean the blood off Wolverine's claw. There was just a tiny measure left in the bottle when she recapped it and handed it back to Gina. "Sorry. I've used it all."

"Don't worry. I brought two."

Kristi next turned her attention to re-sheathing Wolverine's claw. Cradling his arm, she gently massaged his forearm and the back of his hand, being careful not to get her fingers anywhere near the business end of his blade. She watched in fascination as the claw slid slowly back into its housing with the soft rasp of metal on metal.

Only then did she allow herself to collapse on her back in the hay beside Wolverine, as fatigue rolled over her like a tidal wave. "God, I'm so beat," she puffed out.

"Rest. You've earned it." Gina moved to arrange the blanket over the sleeping X-Man, but Kristi struggled to one elbow. "I've got to redress the wound."

Gina pushed her back down. "You've done enough. I'll do it. Jubilee, hand me those bandages."

Jubilee passed them across and then crouched down beside her friend, grinning widely. "That was really something, Kristi, in a squelchy, icky sorta way. But, you know, if something wasn't so totally obvious before, it certainly is now."

"What?" asked Kristi, tiredly.

"You are just so _into_ Wolverine!"

"Grrrr!"

**NEXT: **The return of Hudson and Coffey!


	22. Return of the Two

Hi everybody! Here I am with another chapter! Hope ya'll enjoy!

Many thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter - **Bellaa, CaptMacKenzie, wolfbane17 **and **nileena** - your interest and input is truly appreciated! And to all my new readers, welcome aboard and I hope you enjoy the ride!

Now, on with the story ..... !

**Return of the Two**

Gina jerked awake, looking around her guiltily as she realised she had fallen asleep while on watch. She had deliberately chosen to sit in an uncomfortable position, propped against the side of the SUV, but that hadn't stopped her body from giving in to the fatigue she so clearly felt. She yearned for a comfortable bed and a soft pillow – her room back at the house seemed years away instead of just hours.

Yawning, she stood and moved around a bit, determined to keep her eyes open. The wind was still howling around the barn and she shivered in the cold air, wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm. It was a nasty night to be out and she was grateful for the shelter the barn provided, despite the chill. With any luck, the blizzard was seriously delaying her father's search efforts. The snow would definitely have covered their tracks by now and, unless Sabretooth was capable of tracking in a white-out, she figured they were safe from being discovered by the feral mutant. Her one regret was that the blizzard would also be an inconvenience for Hudson and Coffey, but at least they had the advantage of knowing where the barn was.

She paused at the thought of the two guards, a blush colouring her cheeks as she remembered the kiss Hudson had left her with. Her hand went to the spot as she conjured an image of Mark in her mind. She had to admit, she had always been attracted to the man – with his roguish grin and the lock of dark hair that often fell over his eyes, it was difficult not to be. But could he really be attracted to her too? Did she want him to be? The answer from her heart was a resounding yes.

Biting back an embarrassed grin, Gina crossed to the hamper in the back of the SUV and helped herself to a biscuit, nibbling on it as she looked around for her companions. Jubilee was dozing on the back seat of the SUV, her jacket crumpled up under her head to serve as a pillow. A dark mound in the center of the barn betrayed Wolverine and Kristi's position, and Gina trotted over silently to check they were okay. Wolverine was still unconscious, resting fitfully on his back, his face pale from loss of blood and his breathing shallow and raspy. Kristi looked to have dropped where she sat, her head resting on Wolverine's chest and one hand tucked awkwardly beneath her. The position looked none too comfortable for either of them and Gina briefly considered waking Kristi, but then decided against it. Wolverine may be unconscious, but she had no idea how their bond worked – if Kristi awoke feeling disoriented, or transmitting chaotic feelings, the shock just might prompt Wolverine to attack, believing his mate to be in danger. Gina had no desire to be on the receiving end of a set of nine inch claws, so she trotted back to the SUV, figuring it safer to leave the two alone.

Helping herself to another biscuit, she closed down the hamper lid and then froze as the wind died momentarily, bringing the sound of an engine to her ears. She jerked upright, listening intently, the blood draining down to her feet and leaving an icy chill in its wake. _What was that?_ But the wind was gusting once more and drowning out any other sounds but that of a plank rattling in the wall somewhere to the back of the barn. The engine noise, if it truly had been an engine, had been swallowed by the blizzard.

Pushing the biscuit into her mouth whole and almost choking on it, Gina moved quickly to the barn doors, pressing her eye to a small crack and trying to see out of it. But it was no good. The crack was too small and all she could see beyond it was white. If someone hostile was out there, opening the door to have a look would be like signing everyone's death warrant, and she wasn't that foolish.

Turning from the door, her eyes darted around the barn's interior anxiously, alighting on a pitchfork leaning against the wall nearby. Three steps took her to it and she snatched it up, gauging the weight in her hands. She hoped she wouldn't have to use it, but if push came to shove, she wasn't going to give in easily. If her father's men were out there, she just might take a few of them down before she was overcome herself.

Returning to the door, she pressed her back against it, hefting the pitchfork with sweaty hands. Her heart-rate was going crazy and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She couldn't hear the engine anymore – was someone out there?

Her heart lurched almost painfully as she heard the soft crunch of snow underfoot right outside the door and belatedly she realised she should have woken the others. Too late now. If her father's men had found them, they would know soon enough.

But then a soft tap sounded at the door and a hushed voice whispered, "Gina? Gina, are you there?"

"Rik!" Instantly recognising Coffey's voice, she tossed the pitchfork aside and yanked the door open. The two men almost fell into the barn, stamping to shake the snow off their clothes, and blowing into their hands.

Gina flung her arms around Coffey's neck, hugging him tightly. Coffey staggered back slightly under her assault. "Hey now, what's all this about?"

"I'm so pleased to see you both!" Gina squeezed tightly, hearing her friend grunt. "I was worried."

Coffey managed to prize Gina's hands from around his neck, pushing her back slightly and holding onto her hands. He grinned at Hudson, who was looking on, amused. "No need to worry about us, sweetie. Getting out was easy. Getting here was the hard part."

"Don't tell her that, Rik, she'll want a blow by blow account …… whoulf!" Hudson rocked back and grunted as Gina crashed into his chest, throwing her arms around him. "Hey, watch the ribs!"

"You!" She punched his shoulder, playfully, suddenly embarrassed by her show of affection, but unable to help it. "Don't ever do that again! You scared me half to death!"

"Do what again?" he asked softly, his brown eyes darkening as he looked down at her. His arms crossed behind her back and he pulled her close.

"You know what you did." Gina could feel her heart thumping against his chest and she was sure he could feel it too. Coffey suddenly felt the need to be elsewhere and wandered off, whistling nonchalantly as he checked out the contents of the hamper. "Don't ever stay behind in a hostile situation _ever_ again. You hear?"

"Why? Did you miss me?" Hudson grinned at her and winked. "Or were you afraid I wouldn't get another chance to do this …… ?" He tilted his head and pressed the gentlest of kisses to her lips. The touch was only brief, but Gina's head swam and a burning heat ignited in her stomach, spreading upwards and out until her fingers and toes tingled.

"Hey, is there any soup left in this thing?" Coffey had found a flask and was shaking it to check the contents.

"Just a minute." Gina flashed Hudson a shy smile and slipped out of his embrace. As she walked over to the hamper, she noticed that her friends' arrival had woken the others. Jubilee hopped out of the back of the SUV, her hair tousled, and waved cheerily at Coffey. Kristi sat up, blinking sleepily and shaking the cramp out of her arm as Gina poured out two mugs of the still hot soup.

Coffey moved away from the SUV, wrapping his cold hands around the mug and blowing on the contents to cool it. He stopped short as he suddenly noticed the prone Wolverine. "What the hell happened here?"

"Don't ask," called Hudson, accepting a mug of soup and grinning as Gina slipped him a biscuit.

Coffey crouched down next to Kristi, his eyes quickly taking in Wolverine's pale skin and laboured breathing. "Little guy's almost completely done in," he announced, sadly. "I'll be surprised if he lasts until morning."

Kristi gasped, her eyes wide with horror. Jubilee, overhearing his words, marched straight over to him, her eyes flashing angrily and a finger pointing right in his face. "Don't you say that! Don't you ever say that! Wolvie's a fighter an' he'll live through this, you hear? He's been through far worse than this an' he's always pulled through, so you just take back what you said, Mr Know-It-All-Guard!" Jubilee paused her tirade, turning her back on the flustered guard and dropping to her knees beside Kristi. "Don't you take any notice of him, Kristi. He's an idiot!"

Coffey rocked back, raising his free hand in surrender, as Jubilee stalked back to the SUV. "Hey, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you. I wasn't thinking."

"Obviously," snorted Jubilee.

Hudson leaned back against the SUV, mug in one hand, biscuit in the other. "Way to make an entrance, Rik. Why don't you just shoot the little guy in the head and have done with it?"

Coffey spread his arms, helplessly. "I wasn't thinking," he repeated, his eyes genuinely repentant. "I don't want anything to happen to him any more than the rest of you."

Kristi looked down at Wolverine and back up to Coffey. She couldn't in all honesty blame him for what he had said, despite his words coming as something of a shock. To the uninitiated, it could look as though Wolverine was seriously ill, maybe even dying. And while he wasn't exactly in the best of health right now, Kristi had confidence that he would recover – provided they got him back to the mansion in time. So she stood and stuck out her hand to the guard, willing to keep the peace. "My name's Kristi. We haven't been formally introduced. The last time we met, you stuck a needle in me."

"I remember. Not the most pleasant thing I've had to do." Coffey took her hand and shook it, warmly. "Richard Coffey – my friends call me Rik. I'm sorry for what I said. No hard feelings?"

Kristi smiled and shook her head. "You're not to blame," she said, graciously. "But I do want you to know that we're extremely grateful to you both for helping us out of there." Her gesture took in Jubilee, who was leaning against the SUV, munching biscuits. "If not for you, I don't know what would have happened to us all. Something horrid, I guess," she added, with a shudder.

"Hey, you're welcome." Coffey waved a hand, dismissively. "When it became obvious what Roberts was planning, me and Mark stuck around with the sole intention of helping Gina get Wolverine out. It was a foregone conclusion, right from the start. But we had no idea we'd also be helping two pretty girls into the bargain," he added, with a wink.

"Kristi's matebonded, so your charms won't work on her, Rik." Gina joined them unexpectedly, making Kristi jump. She held out the packet of biscuits. "You'd better have one of these, before Jubilee eats them all."

"Thanks." Coffey helped himself to several, looking around the barn as he munched. "It's freezing in here! Any chance of a fire to help warm me up?"

"What, in here? With all this hay around?" Gina snorted and shook her head at the stupidity of man.

Coffey spread his arms. "Hey, it was just a thought."

"Not your strong point, Rik." Hudson moved to stand between Kristi and the other guard, frowning down at the injured X-Man. "He's in a bad way, isn't he?"

"Yes, but he's in a healing coma right now, which is a good thing in a way." Kristi crouched and gently adjusted the blanket covering her bondmate. "Once we got the bullets out, it was able to start working on his wounds again."

"What? Bullets?" Coffey looked confused.

"Yes. Wolverine got shot coming across the courtyard. Didn't you know?"

"Ahh, geez!" Hudson hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. "I knew you'd been waylaid, but I thought he'd just got into a fight with some of the other guards. Why didn't you tell me he'd been shot?" He shook his head, sadly. "Don't bother thanking us for the escape, Kristi. Way I see it, we didn't exactly do a first rate job of protecting you guys."

Kristi was about to jump to the guards' defence, but Coffey got there first.

"We couldn't be everywhere at once, Mark, and there were two against …. what? ….. forty? We both had our parts to play and there were too many variables to plan for every eventuality. Besides, the way I see it, half the damage was done before we even attempted the breakout. Sabretooth's attack on Wolverine in the cell coming so soon after what Roberts put him through in the lab was bound to have disastrous results on the little guy. If I hadn't intervened, Sabretooth could well have killed him." He paused, suddenly noticing Jubilee looking at him curiously. "What? What have I said now?"

"You pulled Sabretooth off Wolverine?" she asked, softly.

Coffey nodded, hesitantly. "Well …… yeah. O' course, there was no actual physical body contact involved, but the final result was the same." He paused, suddenly suspicious. "Why?"

Jubilee said nothing, but walked across the intervening space to stand in front of him. Coffey gulped as she studied him intently for several seconds, but then she grinned and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "You know what, Coffey? You're an okay kinda guy!"

"I am?" Coffey grinned, pleased with the compliment. "Yeah, I guess I am! Friends?"

Jubilee nodded. "Friends," she confirmed.

"Well, thank heaven for that." Gina's voice was laced with friendly sarcasm. "I can sleep easy at night now." She crumpled the now empty biscuit packet and tossed it into the hamper, before heading for the SUV and pulling blankets out of the back. "I originally intended to travel at night to avoid detection, but Wolverine's condition has put a stop to that idea. Besides, you guys are bound to be tired, so we'll rest up for a couple more hours and set off at dawn." She turned, handing Hudson a blanket. "Mark, is there any chance you were followed?"

Hudson shook his head, unhappily. "I honestly can't say, Gina. The blizzard is so bad that someone could have been right on our tail and we wouldn't have noticed."

"If it's any consolation, the base was in chaos when we left," added Coffey, spreading his blanket on the ground next to the SUV. "Half the guys were running around shooting at shadows, and the other half had no idea what was happening at all. This little lady…," he indicated Kristi, with a flip of his hand, "…put three guys in sick bay single-handedly, including Crowe. He's got two broken ribs."

"Good for you!" cheered Jubilee.

Kristi's face darkened at the memory. "He deserves all he got," she growled. "He shot Wolverine."

"Well, there's nothing more we can do for the moment," announced Gina, decidedly. "It's all down to luck now, more than anything else. Bed down as best you can, guys, and try and get some rest. We've got a hard drive ahead of us at first light."

Kristi accepted a blanket and spread it close to Wolverine, so that she was on hand in case he woke and needed her. As she snuggled into the hay and pulled the blanket around her, she stole a quick glance at his sleeping form. "Hang in there, Wolvie," she whispered, softly. "We're almost home."

**NEXT: **Ambush!!


	23. No Retreat, No Surrender

Hello there! Once again, thanks to **CaptMacKenzie, nileena **and **wolfbane17 **for reviewing the last chapter! I enjoy reading your comments!

For this chapter, a slight change of pace to begin with, as Wolverine and Kristi let their emotions get the better of them, and then it's back to the action!

Hope you all enjoy!

**No Retreat, No Surrender**

Kristi felt warm, deliciously so, considering how cold it had felt in the barn when she had drifted off to sleep. She snuggled deeper into her blanket, wondering if it was almost time to be taking to the road again, and already mourning the potential loss of her warmth. The chilly barn just couldn't compare to this. It felt so good! Stretching luxuriously, locked in those fuzzy moments between sleep and being fully awake, she suddenly became aware of something hard pressed against her back. And with that discovery came the sudden realisation that she knew exactly where her warmth was coming from ……

While she slept, Wolverine had turned onto his uninjured side and pulled her to him, spooning her from behind. His arm was draped across her, his hand splayed out over her stomach, leaving a burning imprint on her skin which had everything, and yet nothing to do with his actual touch. Startled, she made to pull away, only for Wolverine to tighten his grip and lock her in place.

"Don't move."

_Christ, he's awake! _Kristi swallowed audibly, fighting to keep her senses as Wolverine's hand flexed against her stomach, sending shivers down her spine. _Oh God! Say something! Anything …… !_

"You're so hot ……" _No, not that!_ "I mean …… not 'hot' in _that_ sense, you know?" _Argh!_ "Although ….. you are …… incredibly hot, I mean …… but I was speaking literally ….. As in, warm?" _Shoot me, someone!_

"Kristi?"

"Yeah?"

"Shaddup."

"Okay."

Wolverine stirred against her, sending delicious hot pulses radiating through her entire body. "You were cold," he explained, softly. "Seemed only fair to share my body heat."

"Thanks." Kristi struggled for something to say – anything that would distance her mind from the fact that Wolverine's hand was moving in lazy circles on her stomach. Her mutinous brain chose that very moment to desert her completely and she shivered in delight as she felt Wolverine's warm breath on the back of her neck.

"Still cold?"

"No ….. it's ……" _God, how do I tell him? Should I tell him? It's you, Wolvie, you're turning me on big time here? _"No, I'm …… you're …… I'm fine, thanks." _Idiot!_

"Shh." Her heart jumped as Wolverine pressed closer, if that was even physically possible – she could feel him nuzzling into the hair at her neck and her skin prickled at the almost contact. His hand left her stomach and she mourned the loss, until she realised he was sweeping her hair back from her neck. His fingers brushed against skin with the lightest of touches and she closed her eyes with a slow intake of breath – only to puff it out again with a soft moan as his lips pressed to her skin. His hand returned to its original position and began to move slowly northwards in caressing sweeps ……

Seemingly unaware of the effect he was having on her, Wolverine continued to press hot kisses to the cool skin of her neck, occasionally teasing with his tongue. His hand had now come to rest and she shivered as his thumb grazed across the lower swell of her breast. The sweater she was wearing between skin and his hand did nothing to muffle the intensity of his touch.

Sending a silent prayer to the goddess of lovers, beseeching her not to let the others wake any time soon, Kristi allowed a contented sigh to breeze past her lips, giving in willingly to the surging heat her mate's touch was sending pulsing through her veins. She tilted her head, allowing Wolverine easier access to her neck, which he was not slow to take advantage of, and she quivered as his sharp teeth bit down keenly on the soft skin between neck and shoulder …….

_Jesus! _Wolverine jerked back as though electrocuted, rolling onto his back and flinging an arm across his eyes as he sought to calm the emotions that were raging within him. _…… The hell do you think yer doin', bub?_

With a flash of sudden crystal clear clarity, Wolverine realised that he had been on the verge of marking Kristi as his – he could still sense the animal within him demanding to be allowed to claim its mate and he forced it firmly back behind its prison walls, the effort making beads of sweat stand out on his forehead. His mind was a rush of emotions, both his own and Kristi's, as he fought to make sense of what had just happened. A seemingly innocent act had almost brought about disaster – for a disaster is what it would have been if he had allowed the animal to surface and claim Kristi. His true feral nature was not something he wished anyone to see, least of all Kristi. Best for both of them if he kept the beast firmly locked away – which was easier said than done, considering what had set him off in the first place. Christ, he had never thought she could smell so good – her own unique scent mixed enticingly with the hay she had been laying on, with a heady after-scent reminiscent of honey, probably something to do with her power signature. And the feel of her in his arms …… _Christ!_

Wolverine took a ragged breath, finally managing to get his senses under control with some Herculean effort. He lowered his arm and opened his eyes, becoming aware that Kristi had sat up and was looking down on him with a strangely neutral expression on her face. The emotions coming down to him through the bond, however, were far from neutral. Confusion was by far the strongest emotion, now overwhelming the residual feeling of desire that she had been projecting so strongly earlier, and one of the reasons for his inexcusable lack of self control. But beneath that ran something far more poignant and Wolverine was ashamed to see unshed tears glistening in the girl's eyes. He'd hurt her. In Kristi's eyes, he'd pushed her away after being the one to initiate the tender moment and she couldn't understand why. He knew he should tell her, let her know that she'd done nothing wrong, but the words wouldn't come and he knew he'd lost the moment when she pushed back the blanket and stood, crossing around to his injured side and beginning to remove the dressing.

He watched silently as she worked, all the time wanting to say something to ease the turmoil in her mind, but knowing he couldn't. He'd never been one for discussing his feelings with anyone – the fact that Kristi was bonded to him and was privy to most of those feelings did not make it any easier. The animal within him was something he preferred to keep to himself.

He grunted as Kristi ran her fingers over the wound at his side. Her touch had been gentle, but the area was tender and felt as though it was on fire. He tilted his head to study her as she worked, her hair falling forward to frame her face, bits of hay sticking out of it at odd angles. "So, how am I doin', doc?"

Kristi sat back on her heels, brushing her hair back out of the way with one hand. "Better," she answered, shortly. "The bleeding has stopped, so at least it looks as though your healing factor is finally making some headway." She paused, studying him intently for a second or two, as though coming to a decision. "How do you feel?" she asked, finally.

"I could use a beer."

Kristi smiled at him. "Does that mean you're feeling better?"

"As long as I don't have ta face Magneto anytime soon, I guess ya could take that as a yes." Wolverine paused a moment to sit up, grunting at the pain in his side. "O' course, I could be lyin'."

"Well, you look a lot better than you did last night anyway," Kristi informed him. "We were worried about you. Coffey thought you were dying."

"Coffey? He's here?"

"Yes. He and Hudson got in late last night." She indicated the two guards who were sleeping by the SUV with a nod of her head.

"When they wake, I want to shake those guy's hands. They put their lives on the line fer us, an' I appreciate that." He paused and looked around the barn, which was still lit by the light from the battery lamps. Outside, the wind seemed to have died down slightly and all was still.

Kristi leaned over to check the bandage around his leg and Wolverine reached out to pluck a piece of hay from her hair. She turned to look at what he was holding, her eyes widening, and she put a hand to her hair, frowning in annoyance as she discovered all the bits of hay. "Oh for heaven's sake! What must I look like right now? I'd kill for a hairbrush!"

Wolverine wanted to tell her that she still looked beautiful to him, but the words died in his throat as a familiar scent tickled the edge of his senses. He frowned, casting this way and that to pinpoint a direction, but the scent was faint and slightly masked by the other smells in the barn around him. So he reached out with his other senses, aware that Kristi had realised something was wrong and was watching him with uneasy eyes. Wolverine held a finger to his lips as he concentrated on sifting through the information his enhanced senses were presenting to him. His head still felt slightly fuzzy from the healing sleep and the pain in his side and leg constantly fought to divert his attention, but he forced himself to relax, to reach out with everything Mother Nature, in her infinite wisdom, had gifted him with.

And then he heard it. The crunch of booted feet on newly fallen snow. The sharp click of a rifle being cocked. And the feral growl of one who was more animal than man.

His head whipped around in alarm. "Heads up, people! We've got company!"

Before the words were even out of his mouth, the men outside the barn opened fire, sending a hail of bullets cascading into the barn. Small wooden chips flew from the walls with deadly accuracy and Hudson grunted as a lethal shard nicked his cheek. Jubilee screamed as the SUV's windows were shot out one by one, and she tumbled out of the back where she had been sleeping, cowering on the ground with her hands over her head as glass rained down around her.

Far more dangerous than the bullets were the concussion blasts, which punched fist sized holes in the walls and obliterated everything in their path. Gina had a lucky escape as a blast disintegrated a battery lamp not far from her outstretched hand.

And then the shooting stopped. In the unsettling silence that followed, everyone looked around at everyone else, checking for injuries and generally looking surprised and shocked.

Coffey untangled himself from his blanket and stood up shakily, clutching his rifle, as a voice called from outside. "That was just a taste of what you'll get, muties, if you don't give yourselves up. You've got three minutes."

"Gorman!" snorted Hudson, contemptuously. "Still doing Roberts' dirty work for him, I see."

"The idiots!" Jubilee jumped up, shaking glass out of her hair. "They could have killed us!"

"I really don't think keeping us alive is a priority anymore, Jubes," Kristi pointed out, seriously. "The game-plan has changed somewhat."

Wolverine tossed aside his blanket and began to struggle to his feet. Kristi put her hand on his shoulder in an effort to push him back down again. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Intendin' to face this fight on my feet," he growled, by way of reply. "So either help me up or get out of my way."

It wasn't a hard decision to make. Once Wolverine made up his mind to do something, nothing on Earth could make his change it, and the determination coming to her through the bond was so strong it almost knocked her to her knees. So she silently helped him to his feet and then stood back to give him room. Wolverine immediately unsheathed his claws with a flick of his wrists, the metallic 'snikt' sounding loud in the quiet inside the barn. He watched, fascinated, as small drops of blood rolled down each blade and dripped into the hay, blood that he could ill afford to lose. It seemed his healing factor was still overtaxed and unable to deal with further wounds.

He huffed softly to himself. He'd just have to make sure he didn't take anymore wounds then. Bad news for Gorman's men.

"Two minutes, muties." Gorman sounded confident. "Don't make us come in there to get you."

Wolverine glanced around at the others. Coffey and Hudson were standing together at the back of the bullet ridden SUV, rifles clutched in their hands, faces determined. Gina had moved to stand behind them. Knowing that her mutant ability was defensive rather than offensive, she had wisely chosen a position where she wouldn't be a liability to anyone else. Jubilee had taken a position in front of the doors, part way between the two guards and Kristi. She had already powered up and several plasma globules were floating fluidly around her hands. She caught Wolverine's glance and grinned back at him, confidently.

So this is what it all came down to – the last stand. The battle would be won or lost here in this barn, the humblest of battlefields. Everyone knew their futures would be decided with the outcome of this confrontation. It showed in their eyes and their body stance. But no one would back down. It was win or die.

Wolverine glanced at Kristi and dropped into an easy battle stance, gesturing towards the barn doors with a nod of his head.

"Do the honours, Wildstar. Give 'em our answer ……."

**NEXT: **The last stand!


	24. The Last Stand

Hello everyone! T'is me again! Many thanks to **lilybelle101, nileena, Despo, CaptMacKenzie **and **wolfbane17 **for taking the time to leave a review for the last chapter! Much appreciated, guys!

This chapter - Wolverine's 'He's hurt' speech comes from the pages of Uncanny X-Men #133, May 1980, and is reproduced here as a tribute to the almighty writing talents of the legendary Chris Claremont! Long may he reign! Pinching text isn't something I take lightly, but it fit the scene so well, that I just couldn't resist it! And it's a tribute, guys, so please don't sue me, okay? I'm poor anyway - only got two cats to my name!

Now onward - the last battle awaits!

**The Last Stand**

Wildstar stepped forward, Wolverine's words ringing in her ears. There was no hesitation – she would follow his orders explicitly. It was either that or spend the rest of her life as a slave for the human controllers of Genosha. If she was lucky.

She powered up and raised her fists, embracing as much power as she could, and fired a starbolt at the barn doors. Both were immediately blown from their hinges, exploding outwards in several pieces and scattering mayhem over a large area. Wolverine grinned as his enhanced hearing told him she had floored three guards in the explosion. Three down and at least thirty still to deal with. The others would have blanched had they known the odds, but Wolverine was spoiling for some payback and, despite his weakened condition, he was prepared to give as good as he got.

There was a moment of stunned silence from the guards outside, as they realised their prey was not about to give up quietly and then they opened fire. The occupants of the barn sprang for cover as their hideout once again bore the brunt of the attack, but this time they were prepared to return fire of their own. The distinctive sound of Jubilee's fireworks and Wildstar's starbolts mingled with the crack of Coffey and Hudson's rifles and the interior of the barn was lit up like the sky on the 4th of July as they hurled their destructive forces through the jagged gap left by the doors. Most of their assault was blind, but every so often they heard a cry and knew they had scored a hit.

There was a deafening explosion as Coffey and Hudson's jeep was hit by a stray shot. Bits of superheated metal rained down all around and at least one guard was taken out by the explosion, foolishly using the jeep as cover.

In the resulting confusion, Wolverine made a dash for the wall nearest him, intending to slash through and take the fight outside to the guards themselves, but before he reached it a sound above him made him look up. He skidded to a halt in the hay as he realised there were guards on the roof, intending to do the very thing he had intended to do to them, but before he could shout a warning, they began blasting through with concussion rifles, sending debris raining down on the combatants below.

Coffey slumped to the floor, unconscious, as a large piece of wood crashed down on him. Gina screamed and began to run towards him, just as guards began dropping into the barn from the roof above. Wildstar floored one almost immediately with a starbolt, but suddenly found herself being tackled from behind by another, who locked his rifle around her throat and began to throttle her with it. Jubilee came to her rescue with some well placed fireworks and then spun to fire off another blast at a guard who was creeping up on Gina. Gina flashed her a quick thumbs up and then leapt for Coffey's rifle, pulling it from his limp fingers and turning it on a guard just in time to save her own life from a concussion blast.

Wolverine found himself facing two guards, who advanced on him slowly, rifles raised. There was a wariness about them – evidently they were not too happy at facing his claws and Wolverine grinned, maliciously. _Good!_ They obviously knew what he was capable of and this was making them nervous. He wondered if he could turn that to his advantage.

"I know what yer thinkin'," he growled, putting as much menace into his voice as he could. " 'He's hurt, an' he's five metres away, an' I've got a full clip o' ammo in my rifle. Question is, can I shoot Wolverine down before he can reach me an' cut me into shish kebab with those freaky claws o' his?'"

Wolverine grinned, clearly enjoying himself, as the guards' faces registered their uncertainty.

"Well, bub, I've got news fer ya. Wolverine's claws are made o' adamantium, the strongest metal known, capable o' slicin' through vanadium steel like a hot knife through butter. An' five metres o' floor ain't that much distance at all – fer me. So whaddaya say? Do you feel lucky?"

Wolverine paused, waiting. This was a tactic he had used many times before to unnerve an opponent, and it usually worked. His reputation as a cold blooded killer and the threat his words implied was enough to make any sane man think twice about taking him on and this time seemed no exception. The guards had stopped, rifles lowering, and they were casting nervous glances at each other, while still trying to appear in control of the situation. Wolverine began to relax, lowering his claws slightly. _Score one fer the little guy!_ These guards were out of the fight. They'd probably leave quietly now, no questions asked.

As if on some unspoken word of command, both guards suddenly raised their rifles and started shooting.

"Cripes!" Wolverine leapt to the side, barely avoiding the hail of bullets. As it was, two clipped his shoulder, one passing straight through, the other lodging painfully against his collarbone. The impact spun him around and he landed heavily, grunting in pain as he crashed into the barn wall. He remained still, catching his breath and playing possum as the two guards approached, mentally blocking out the sounds of the battle around him so that he could focus on their footsteps.

One of the guards prodded him in the back with his rifle. "Hey, Ferro, I think the little runt's dead."

Faster than the eye could follow, Wolverine surged to his feet, decking the guard with a mean right hook. "Your mistake, bub. The 'little runt' lives."

Before he could turn to find the second guard, Wolverine suddenly felt the business end of a rifle pressing into the back of his head. "Give it up, mutie, I'm warnin' ya. Roberts wanted ya back alive if possible, but I'm willin' ta bet he wouldn't mind us roughin' ya up a bit first. So give me an excuse, mutie, any excuse, to pull this trigger."

Wolverine hesitated. Ordinarily, he'd be reckless enough to let the guard carry out his threat, trusting in his fast reflexes and healing factor to keep him from serious harm. But he wasn't exactly operating at peak efficiency and, with a carbonadium bullet lodged in his shoulder, he was losing blood fast. A hail of bullets at such close range would be catastrophic. They certainly wouldn't be able to penetrate his adamantium skull, but the impact would definitely knock him senseless for a time. But with the battle running in the guards' favour, he didn't see any other option open to him ……

He began to raise his hands slowly, as though giving up. He sensed the guard relax slightly and Wolverine knew that, whatever he was going to do, he would have to do it now, while Ferro was off guard.

He pivoted so fast that he felt a sharp pain lance through his wounded side and he knew he had reopened the wound there. Simultaneously, he unsheathed the claws in his left hand, slashing at the rifle so fast that it was in several pieces in the hay before Ferro realised what had happened, leaving him staring foolishly at the stock left in his hands. Wolverine's right fist to his jaw laid the guard out next to his companion.

Wolverine sank to his knees between them, clutching at his side. He could feel a spreading warmness beneath his shirt and the scent of his own blood was strong in his nostrils. He silently cursed himself for being so reckless. He constantly berated Jubilee for making grandstand plays, yet here he was being guilty of the same thing. He'd seriously underestimated the guards – tried to toy with them – and it had cost him dearly.

The sound of battle came back to him slowly and he looked up, trying to blot out the haze of pain caused by his wounded side and shoulder, the beginnings of a feral snarl forming at his lips. The animal within him was trying to break free, to be allowed to hunt and maim. He struggled to hold it back, realising that if he allowed himself to go feral now he would be no better than a wounded animal and would be as much danger to his friends as to his enemies. His animal side, when allowed to run free, often didn't care to tell the difference between friend and foe. He couldn't allow that to happen now.

It was an uphill struggle. His animal side fought for control, as it often did when he was at his weakest. These were the moments when he was most at risk and he threw back his head and howled, as much to ward off the beserker rage building within him as to express his frustration at the situation.

Strangely enough, it was the sight of Hudson being shot down by another guard that shocked Wolverine back to his senses. He struggled painfully to his feet, looking around for the others. Coffey and Hudson were both down. Jubilee had been backed into a corner, where she was protecting Gina from three guards who were using the SUV as cover, fireworks flying from her hands. Of Wildstar, there was no sign, but Wolverine reckoned she had flown out through one of the holes in the roof to take the fight to the guards outside – there was certainly enough noise coming from outside to lend credence to that assumption. She was a big girl – she could take care of herself. Right now, Jubilee was his main concern. He began to move towards the three guards who were menacing his team-mate.

The thump of something large landing just behind him brought him up short, and he whirled around, claws raised, instantly recognising the scent of the one who was behind him. But fast as Wolverine was, Sabretooth was infinitely faster. The feral mutant's backhanded blow caught Wolverine off guard, the sheer force of it hurling him back several meters, where he crumpled in the hay. He struggled to rise, aware that Sabretooth was stalking towards him, but his body chose that moment to betray him and he dropped back down weakly, groaning as pain lanced through his side. Every instinct screamed at him to get up, to carry on the fight, but Wolverine knew it was impossible. Even he had limits, and his body had just reached it.

Sabretooth stood over him, planting a boot into his back and pushing him down. His lips curled back into a snarl. "Do you realise how much it hurt ta dig those bullets outta my chest, runt?" he growled, grinding down with his boot and making the X-Man cry out in pain and frustration. "I figure it's payback time. So, say nighty night, Logan. There's a cozy cell waitin' fer ya back at the complex." Sabretooth raised a fist and Wolverine braced himself for the blow.

"NO!" There was a whoosh of displaced air and a golden starbolt slammed into Sabretooth's chest, knocking him back and away from Wolverine. Sabretooth roared his defiance as Wildstar swooped down and landed, placing one foot either side of Wolverine's body, standing over him protectively like a golden angel. She raised her fists, glaring at the feral with fury darkened eyes. "Back off, bub! I mean it!"

"An' who's gonna stop me? You?" Sabretooth flexed his fingers as though wishing he could wrap them around Wildstar's neck. "Roberts wants the runt back an' I intend ta take him, so stand aside, girlie, an' ya won't get hurt."

He took a step forward and Kristi's hands glowed brighter. "Don't make me blast you again, Sabretooth."

"Ya mean, when ya blasted me in the courtyard? Ah, heck, girlie, that was just a little love tap. I've had worse from the runt down there. Now get outta my way!"

Kristi held her head high, fiercely defiant. "Wolverine is my bondmate. To take him, you will have to go through me."

"That can be arranged." Sabretooth lunged forward, no subtlety to his attack, just a head-on charge. Wildstar thrust both fists forwards, sending a starbolt hurtling towards the feral mutant. Sabretooth was hurled through the barn's ruined doorway, howling as he went. A distant crash among the trees announced his landing.

"And this time, stay down!" Wildstar yelled after him, before sinking to her knees beside her bondmate. "Wolverine?"

Wolverine struggled to raise himself up by one arm. "Don't worry about me," he grunted. "Help Jubilee."

As he spoke, more guards began dropping into the barn from above and Wildstar stood, fists raised, preparing to unleash hell. She didn't give much for their chances. They were rapidly being over-run.

A clap of thunder suddenly rolled around the barn and lightening flickered in the sky above it. Wildstar unleashed a starbolt at a guard who was advancing on her and then gasped as a ruby red beam of light lanced through the open doorway, catching another guard full on and hurling him through the rear wall with a resounding crash. The stunned silence within the barn from both friend and foe alike contrasted eerily with the shouts and screams from outside.

Then Jubilee broke the silence with a whoop. "Heads up, team! The cavalry have arrived!"

The guards didn't stand a chance. Those within the barn scrambled to escape, but were cut down by Jubilee and Wildstar. Outside, chaos reigned, as thunder rolled and crashed with ominous intensity, punctuated now and then by the distinctive sound of Cyclops' optic blasts and the screech of Gambit's kinetically charged missiles.

Wildstar found her legs giving way beneath her and she sank down in the hay at Wolverine's side. They were safe. The X-Men were here to take them home.

A hand alighted gently on her shoulder and she looked up into Cyclops' ruby quartz visor. "Are you alright?" he asked, softly. "Are you injured?"

Kristi shook her head. "No. But Wolverine is."

Cyclops glanced once at the prone X-Man and looked up, activating his personal communicator. "Rogue, get down here, pronto."

Rogue popped through one of the holes in the roof. "Sugah?"

Cyclops gestured for her to land. "Wolverine's hurt. Get him to the Blackbird, quick."

"Sure thing, boss." Rogue landed with a soft thud in the hay, her eyes full of concern as she knelt down to her team-mate. "Come on, sugah. Ah'll look after ya."

Wolverine grunted with pain as Rogue lifted him as gently as she could. With her enhanced strength, she was easily capable of coping with the added weight of his adamantium skeleton. Kristi watched them fly through the roof, torn between her desire to go with them and the need to help her friends, but then she saw Coffey and Hudson on the ground and she hurried over to see if she could help.

Coffey was already coming around. Jubilee was at his side, as the guard groaned and clutched a bloody wound to the head. But Hudson had taken a bullet to the right shoulder and was unconscious, with an anxious Gina fussing alongside. Phoenix had already assessed the damage and was preparing to telekinetically lift the wounded guard as Kristi arrived to help.

Cyclops stood in the center of the barn and raised his hand to gain everyone's attention. "We need to evacuate the area quickly, people, before those men outside regroup. Stay close an' keep your eyes open for trouble. Let's go, team!"

They moved quickly outside, Phoenix floating Hudson before her and Gina and Jubilee supporting a staggering Coffey. Outside, they encountered Gambit and Psylocke, standing guard over the barn. Storm swept across the sky above them, hurling the occasional lightening bolt to keep the guards at bay. Gina gaped at the sheer enormity of it all.

Gambit turned as Cyclops approached, a brace of playing cards clutched in his hand. "D'ose men, dey sure don' wan' give up without a fight, non? Too determined for their own good, Gambit t'ink." He gestured off into the trees. "Psylocke, she says dere be somet'in' big movin' 'bout in dat direction."

"That'll be Sabretooth," announced Kristi, glancing in the direction indicated by Gambit. "He must have recovered from my starbolt already."

Gambit's jaw dropped. "Pardon moi? _Your _starbolt, chere?"

Kristi nodded. "Yes. He was going after Wolverine, so I blasted him."

Gambit let out a quick bark of mirth, as Cyclops shook his head in amazement. "De girl is a natural, non, Cyclops? De Professor, he would be a fool to let 'er go. De petite make a mighty fine X-Man!"

"Maybe so, Gambit, but to be an X-Man, 'the petite' has to survive her first mission and she won't do that if Sabretooth decides to mount a counterattack while we stand here talking about it." He smiled at Kristi to soften his words. "I doubt if Sabretooth's stupid enough to attack the whole team, but those men he's with don't seem so reluctant." He ducked as a bullet took a chunk out of the barn wall just beside his head. "That's it, time to go!"

The Blackbird was hovering silently above the trees not far away, obviously operating on stealth mode, hence the reason it had managed to approach undetected. Phoenix had already telekinetically lifted the two wounded guards and Jubilee up to the jet and now returned for Cyclops, Gambit and Psylocke. Storm swooped down to gather up Gina, and Kristi took off under her own steam, just as a group of men burst out of the surrounding trees, making a last ditch attempt to stop their targets from escaping. They were too late. Hanging back slightly so that her charges could cover the team's evacuation, Phoenix watched in satisfaction as Cyclops and Gambit unleashed their combined powers on the men below, sending them into an undignified retreat. Maybe next time they'd think twice before taking on the X-Men.

Gina's knees almost buckled beneath her as she and Storm landed in the jet's open doorway. Storm gently helped her forward to a seat.

Kristi, landing just behind them, immediately bounded forward to find Wolverine, but stopped short with a gasp as a large blue furry figure turned from the pilot's seat to smile at her, amiably. "Welcome aboard, my dear."

Gambit, touching down just behind her, put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Don' be afraid, chere. Dat's jus' Henry McCoy. He don' bite."

Kristi allowed herself to be led forward by the tall Cajun, but all thoughts of blue furry creatures fled her mind as she saw Wolverine. Rogue had strapped him securely into a seat near the front of the jet, tilting it back slightly to allow him to rest in relative comfort. Dropping quickly into the vacant seat beside him, she noticed immediately that he was unconscious once more as his healing factor sought desperately to undo the damage that had been inflicted on him during the battle. With a jolt, she noticed the blood staining the front of his shirt and realised he'd been shot again, and she leaned forward to assess the damage, suddenly feeling a hand gently squeezing her shoulder. She turned to find Phoenix standing beside her. Neither spoke, but Kristi felt as though volumes had passed between them as their eyes met. Then Phoenix was striding forward to take a seat beside Psylocke, leaving Kristi with the feeling that the fiery redhead knew exactly how the trainee X-Man felt. The look of love and concern in Phoenix's expression as she glanced at the unconscious X-Man haunted Kristi's memory.

"Strapped in or not, people, we're moving out!" Cyclops stomped past her on his way from the rear of the jet and dropped into the pilot's seat. "We've got wounded aboard and time's wasting!"

Kristi hastily fastened her seatbelt and just in time, as the jet shot forward, thrusting her back briefly in her seat. She glanced to the left, where Jubilee was seated across the aisle from her, next to Gina, and smiled as the young X-Man gave a cheery thumbs up signal. Despite her concern for her wounded bondmate, Kristi felt her spirits lift slightly.

It was all over. They were going home.

**NEXT:** The aftermath!


	25. Aftermath

Hurrah, another chapter! I'm off work this week, and I've been able to do much more uploading than normal!

Many thanks to my little band of reviewers for more words of encouragement - **nileena, Frozen Voices **and **wolfbane17! **You guys are great!

And now, our story awaits ......!

**Aftermath**

The atmosphere outside the med-lab was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. Jubilee, leaning against the metal wall, looked anxiously around at her friend as they waited impatiently for any news of Wolverine's condition. Upon landing, he'd been rushed immediately to the med-lab, along with Hudson and Coffey, who also needed medical attention. Professor Xavier had met them at the med-lab door, having been alerted of the medical emergency and their impending arrival by Phoenix. His face was stern as he watched Dr McCoy wheel his wounded X-Man into the lab, followed by Phoenix, still telekinetically lifting the unconscious guard and supporting a concussed Coffey, but when the others tried to follow suit he barred the way with his wheelchair. Assuring them that he would let them all know of any change to their team-mate's condition, he pivoted his chair smartly and followed Hank and Jean into the lab, leaving his X-Men standing in the corridor as the med-lab's X-styled doors rumbled closed before their eyes. All they could do now was wait.

Kristi paced anxiously back and forth across the doors for a time, before finally sliding down the wall to the floor, where she drew up her knees, crossed her arms against them for support and rested her head on them with a heartfelt sigh. Reaching out, she tried to connect with Wolverine and assure him she was nearby, but the chaotic impressions she got back told her he was still unconscious and deep in the healing coma. Undeterred, she continued to send reassuring pulses, not wanting him to be alone. Dimly, she was only just aware of Cyclops asking Jubilee if they wouldn't be more comfortable waiting for news upstairs, but when he pressed the point after her refusal, she shook her head emphatically and growled for emphasis. Getting the hint, he tossed her a worried glance, but finally wandered off, leaving the girls in peace. They were both exhausted, but neither would allow themselves to rest until they knew Wolverine was safe.

Gina, feeling lost and shy now that she was surrounded by X-Men, eventually went to sit beside Kristi, her eyes dark with fatigue and worry. Rogue leant against the opposite wall, legs crossed at the ankles and arms folded, determinedly. She glared at the med-lab doors, as if considering defying the Professor and forcing them open to find out what was going on. Jubilee knew Rogue and Wolverine were close as team-mates. He had helped her with meditation techniques when her power had threatened to run out of control. She said nothing to the two girls seated nearby but, in her own way, she lent them support by her presence and drew comfort from them in return.

Cyclops, Gambit and Psylocke moved down the corridor a little way, talking together softly, but occasionally throwing the three girls furtive glances. They were obviously wondering where their team-mates had been for the better part of a week, and also who their mysterious companions were, but Kristi wondered if the fact she had growled at Cyclops had anything to do with it, and she mentally kicked herself. She hadn't realised she'd done it at the time. The response had seemed so natural, and that gave her pause for thought. Was she unconsciously echoing Wolverine? Did this mean she'd start taking on more of his personality traits as the bond deepened? It was a prospect she found extremely daunting and she made a mental note to speak to Gina about it later. Maybe she had read something about this in her father's files?

That left Storm, who was standing silently near Jubilee, watching the med-lab door as if she could see what was going on behind it. To their credit, no one had tried to question the girls as to what had happened over the past week, but that would come later. For now, everyone had more important things on their minds.

Jubilee eventually pushed away from the wall, striding to the doors and glaring at them as though they were deliberately staying closed just to annoy her. "Just what is taking so long in there? This waiting is driving me crazy!"

Storm moved closer to place a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "Relax, Jubilee. They will come out to us when they are ready."

Jubilee nodded, but couldn't stop fretting as time moved on.

Everyone jumped when the med-lab doors finally rumbled open. Kristi and Gina were on their feet at once, and Cyclops and his little group hurried back up the corridor as Professor Xavier and Jean Grey stepped through the med-lab door. Jean looked tired and, as she pushed back a stray lock of red hair, her hand was shaking.

Kristi tried to see past them both for any sign of Wolverine, but the doors closed, cutting off her view.

Jubilee pushed to the front of the little group. "Professor, is Wolvie going to be okay?"

Professor Xavier nodded, slowly. "He is stable for now, Jubilee, but he has lost a lot of blood and will need to rest. He is very weak. With his blood count so low, it's a miracle his healing factor has kept him alive this long."

Kristi paled at the news and glanced at Jubilee.

Gina stepped forward, shyly. "Professor, my name's Gina. Are my …… is Mark okay?"

"The man who was shot?" The Professor smiled kindly, as Gina nodded. "He will be fine, Gina, but he will have to stay in the med-lab overnight, along with your other friend. Dr McCoy wants to make sure there are no other ill effects before discharging them."

Gina smiled. "Thank you."

"For now," continued the Professor, beginning to wheel his chair forward, "I want to know why three of my X-Men were kidnapped and why one is now in a critical medical condition. I must know who is responsible for this. There will be a briefing, X-Men, in the War Room. Be there in ten minutes."

"You heard the man, people." Cyclops moved to take command of his team. "Come on, Jubilee, no slacking."

Kristi pushed forward as the X-Men began to disperse, halting Xavier's forward motion with a hand on his arm. "Professor, could I stay with Wolverine? Please?"

Xavier hesitated, something making him glance at Jean, who nodded barely perceptibly. He smiled and patted Kristi's hand. "Alright, Kristi, you may stay. Jubilee and your friend can tell me all I need to know. But don't wake him, hear? He needs to rest and let his healing factor do its work."

Kristi nodded, gratefully, and turned towards the med-lab doors as the other X-Men headed for the War Room. The doors opened before her and she entered, looking around for Wolverine, but before she got more than two steps into the lab a voice made her jump. "Ah, hello. You must be Kristi, our new trainee. Jean 'told' me you were on your way in."

She looked around to see Dr McCoy standing between two beds to the right of the door, one of which contained an unconscious Hudson, the other an awake but very groggy Coffey. He moved forward, holding out a shaggy blue paw, which she shook with some slight hesitation. She knew not all mutants looked human in appearance and she had thought she would be prepared for that when the day came, but to actually meet someone with an external mutation was something else entirely. With his cat-like features and pointed teeth, Dr Henry McCoy was positively scary, but his voice was kind and she allowed that to reassure her as he put an arm companionably around her shoulders and led her further into the med-lab.

"Your two friends will be quite well given time, you will be relieved to hear, but I assume you are here for news of our feral friend?" McCoy did his best to reassure her as he led her over to a bed against the left hand wall. In it lay Wolverine, his face pale even against the whiteness of the sheets, which covered him to midway up his bare chest. A fresh dressing covered the wound at his shoulder where the bullet had been removed and an oxygen mask was covering his nose and mouth. But what made Kristi gasp was the IV drip that was steadily feeding fluid into his arm.

"Don't be alarmed, my dear." Hank took off his glasses and fiddled with them for a moment before continuing. "That is merely a precaution – something to aid recovery until his healing factor gets up to speed. I won't bore you with all the details – I am often accused of cluttering up the air with long words and I can see you are in no mood for that. Suffice it to say, Wolverine is in no immediate danger."

Kristi was extremely grateful for this. Her medical knowledge was sketchy at best and she probably wouldn't have understood if he had tried to explain. She moved nearer the bed, absently smoothing the sheet with gentle fingers.

Hank watched her, his eyes glittering, and then he sighed, sadly. "Wolverine is a law unto himself, I'm afraid. He often forgets that he is not indestructible and it is times like these that serve to remind us of that very fact." He polished his glasses on his lab coat, before settling them back into place on his nose. "I assume you wish to stay for a while?"

"Yes. If that's not a problem."

"No problem at all, my dear." Hank reached out and snagged a chair from the side of the next bed and slid it over for Kristi. "If you need me, I will be going over some notes at my desk." He pointed to a small area at the rear of the med-lab which had been set up as an office behind a glass partition so that he could work and still keep an eye on his patients. "Don't hesitate to call if you need anything."

"I won't. Thanks, Dr McCoy."

Hank patted her shoulder reassuringly and ambled off to his office, pausing to check on Hudson on the way. Kristi watched him go, then turned back to Wolverine, reaching out to gently take his hand in her own. She felt scared and more than a little worried for Wolverine's condition, but most of all she felt confused. Confused and hurt. She had been right when she had told Jubilee that Wolverine didn't love her, for what more proof did she need than what had happened in the barn? Why had he started to kiss her neck so tenderly, only to recoil so? Was she so undesirable? Or was it that he had just realised he was bonded to a woman he did not love?

Tears glistening in her eyes, Kristi clutched Wolverine's hand to her chest, knowing that, even if he didn't love her, she could never stop loving him. For better or for worse, she was matebonded to him now, possibly for life, and she had better start dealing with it. It was either that or leave the X-Men completely and that, in her opinion, simply wasn't an option. No man on Earth was going to make her give up her dream.

Closing her eyes against the pain in her heart, she opened her mind fully to the bond and sent out pulses of reassurance and love, mentally willing him to be well. Loved or not, no one could say she had shirked on her duties as a mate.

She was going to survive this matebonding even if it killed her.

**oooOOOooo**

"Is she still here?"

Scott appeared almost silently at his fiancee's side as she hesitated in the open med-lab doorway, peering inside.

Jean nodded. "She's been here all day. Looks like she's set to be here all night too."

Scott leaned past Jean to look into the med-lab at the subject of their concern. Kristi was fast asleep with her head on Wolverine's bed, one hand still resting lightly over his. A plate of uneaten sandwiches sat on a med-table at her side, provided by a thoughtful donor, probably Jubilee.

"Poor kid. She must be exhausted," Scott observed. "We ought to get her upstairs to her own room."

Jean nodded, but made no move to step into the med-lab, reluctant to disturb the girl's rest, however uncomfortable it might be.

Scott folded his arms and glanced at his fiancée, head tilted curiously. "Why on Earth does she feel that she has to stay with him anyway? It's not as though she was responsible for what was done to him."

Jean shook her head and sighed at her lover. "You know, for the leader of the X-Men, you can be such a dork at times."

"I …… excuse me?"

Jean patted his hand, lovingly, smiling inwardly at his confusion. "For someone who's lived around X-Men for as long as you have, Scott, you still haven't learned much about simple human nature, have you?" She paused to see if her words would have any effect, but sighed once more as he looked back at her, blankly. "Oh, for heaven's sake! She's in love with him, you dope!"

Scott's face was a picture of confusion. "What? With Wolverine?"

"Yes. With Wolverine. As strange as it may seem to you, Scott, Logan does attract his fair share of women. He's an extremely attractive and highly desirable male." Jean blushed a little as she recalled her own attraction to the feisty Canadian. "Kristi's just the latest of many to fall under his spell, that's all, and I'm sure she won't be the last."

Scott frowned, his brow furrowing deeply above his ruby quartz glasses. "We have to do something. We can't allow this to continue."

Jean rounded on him, her green eyes flashing angrily, but doing her best to keep her voice down. "We will do nothing, Scott, but allow them to work it out for themselves in a civilised fashion."

"But I was only thinking ……"

"I know what you were 'only thinking', Scott." Jean took his arm and pulled him back into the corridor so as not to disturb the patients. "You were thinking maybe to protect Logan from another doomed romance? Or maybe you were thinking to protect Kristi from Logan himself? We can't decide their lives for them, Scott."

"But this is the Wolverine we're talking about, Jean."

"Yes, it is, and why should he be so different to anyone else? Why is it so normal for others to form relationships and not him? Did we discourage Kitty when she fell in love with Peter? Or Alison when she wanted to leave with Longshot? And what about Rogue and Remy? They have their ups and downs, but they are still very much in love." Scott said nothing in his defence, so Jean continued. "Kristi and Logan are both adults, Scott, and we will leave them to sort this out for themselves. If everything works out well, we will be happy for them. But if not, they are both adult enough to accept it and move on, and know we are there for them. But we will not interfere unless asked, or it becomes obvious there will be dire consequences if we do not. Understand?"

Scott nodded, slowly. "I understand, Jean. But I wasn't trying to set myself up as judge and jury, or to interfere in their lives, no matter what you may think. It's just that Kristi's so young and gentle, and Logan's so …… so …… Wolverine!"

Jean smiled and reached out to take her fiance's hand. "Your desire to protect your fellow X-Men is admirable, Scott, and I love you for it. But Kristi's gentleness may be just what Logan needs. Remember Mariko? Her quiet gentleness offset Logan's rage, and she was often able to reach him when no one else could."

"Yes, and we all know how that relationship ended ……"

Jean shushed him with a finger to his lips. "That wasn't Logan's fault, and you know it. And it wasn't fair to cite that as an example either."

Scott sighed, taking Jean's hand from his lips and curling it in both of his. "I know. That was a low blow and I'm sorry."

"They just need time to sort this out, Scott. Logan's not incapable of gentleness himself, you know. He doesn't often show his softer side."

"No, just the harder, slashing side." Scott grinned and pressed a kiss to Jean's hand. "Alright. You have me convinced – for now. But I'm going to keep a sharp eye on the pair of them and if he hurts her, for any reason, no power on Earth will stop me from kicking his butt in the Danger Room!"

Jean laughed and hugged her partner. "I have a lot more faith in Logan than that! I think he will surprise you."

"He does, frequently." Scott reluctantly released his fiancée and moved back towards the med-lab doors. "Well, if you've no objection to me splitting the two of them up, Jean, I really think we ought to take Kristi to her own room where she can rest easier. If she needs to, she can come back tomorrow, after a good night's sleep."

Jean nodded in agreement and they entered the med-lab as the doors rumbled open. Hank looked up from his station at his desk, but Scott put a finger to his lips and gestured towards Kristi. Hank nodded and turned back to his computer screen, leaving Scott with the impression that the doctor probably hadn't even realised Kristi was still there. Once he began working, he was oblivious to everything else around him.

Kristi moaned softly in her sleep as Scott lifted her gently from her chair. Jean lovingly adjusted Wolverine's sheets and then leaned over him to check the IV running to his arm. A quick glance at the monitor above his bed assured her that everything was well and she smiled. "I think he'll be fine by morning, Scott," she whispered. "His vital signs are much stronger." She stooped and gently kissed Wolverine's forehead. "Sleep well, Logan."

Scott shook his head in bewilderment as he and Jean left the med-lab, Scott gently carrying Kristi. "How does the little guy do it?" he muttered to himself. "If I had half his pheromones, I'd be knee deep in women by now."

Tutting at the sheer absurdity of it all, Scott headed for the lift.

**NEXT: **Confessions! Wolverine and Kristi have a lot to talk about and much soul searching to do! Will it all end in tears?


	26. Agony of the Bonded

Hello everyone! Here is the latest chapter! As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed the last one - **Sabrielle-X, nileena, Hukkanen, Frozen Voices, nimb09 **and **wolfbane17! **I hope I haven't missed anyone out!

Onward! Our story awaits ..... !!

**Agony**** of the Bonded**

Soft February sunshine was beaming through Kristi's room window and creating glittering dust motes which drifted lazily through the air, but inside Kristi felt dark and lonely, her mood a far cry from the tone of the new day. She had awoken that morning with a jolt, not really understanding where she was until a startled glance around the room had revealed the comforting presence of her own belongings. The events of the last few hours had come crashing down on her with all the subtlety of a brick wall. The X-Men had rescued them – they were home!

Leaping out of bed, she trotted into the bathroom, where she took a leisurely shower, taking her time to wash out her hair thoroughly and discovering it still held stubborn bits of hay, which she watched swirling down the drain with some small measure of satisfaction. Finally feeling human again, she dressed in a pair of blue sweats and a hooded top and made her way downstairs, intending to grab a couple of slices of toast and then visit the med-lab for news of Wolverine. The bond was telling her he was awake – he seemed calm and focused, but other than that there were no other clues as to his condition. She had tried sending a questing pulse, but nothing came back, which puzzled her.

In the kitchen she had discovered Scott, who had informed her that Wolverine had been discharged from the med-lab several hours earlier, completely recovered, which had only served to increase her anxiety. Forgetting her toast, she had wandered back out of the kitchen in a daze, not even hearing Scott's inquiry as to how she was feeling. If she had, she wouldn't have known how to answer him.

She wandered the hallways for a time, not really sure where she was heading until she found herself outside the door to Wolverine's room. She could hear no sounds of movement from within, but nevertheless she raised a hand to knock, bottling out at the last second and fleeing along the hallway to her own room, where she flung herself on the bed and cried helplessly into her pillow.

Now, forty five minutes later, totally cried out and feeling heavy headed and forlorn, Kristi stood at her window, staring down at the gardens below, but not really seeing what she was looking at. The day was sunny and clear, a far cry from the blizzards of the day before, but inside her heart felt as cold as ice and just as welcoming. To all intents and purposes, Wolverine had ignored her questing pulses and, despite having being released from med-lab several hours ago, hadn't been to seek her out. She didn't expect him to put his life on hold just for her, but neither had she expected him to deliberately avoid her. After what they had been through together in the last few hours, this came as the final blow to shatter her fragile hold on her emotions.

A gentle tap at her door barely registered through the haze of self guilt and hurt Kristi was feeling, but when it was repeated a few seconds later she turned quickly from the window to glare at the door.

"Go away."

"Kristi, it's me. Can I come in?"

"No. Go away, Jubilee."

A pause, then, "But don't you want to hear what happened at the briefing yesterday?"

"Not really."

"It's really neat, 'cause Gina's gonna stay on an' train as an X-Man." Jubilee was not easily put off. "And Coffey and Hudson are gonna stay around too – they're gonna get jobs in town somewhere. That's great for Gina, isn't it? I know she's sweet on Hudson. I think I saw some lip action between the two of them back at the barn!" Jubilee mentally kicked herself for that remark. She was supposed to be cheering her friend up and getting her out of her room, not reminding her of her theory that she was matebonded to a man who didn't love her. And Jubilee didn't believe that for a second. She'd seen the way Wolverine had watched Kristi like a hawk just before they had pulled the bullets out of him and if that wasn't the look of someone who had the hots for that other someone, then she was a member of the Brotherhood! And all she had to do to convince Kristi of it was get her out of her room. Easier said than done. And Scott wasn't helping either. He was the one who had sought her out that morning, muttering something about Kristi being out of sorts and could she find out why? It didn't take a genius to know why. Wolverine had been discharged from med-lab that very morning and gone immediately into hiding. No word to anyone, and certainly no word to the person who had sat with his ungrateful hide all day. And would have sat with him all night too, if Scott hadn't carried her upstairs and had Jean put her to bed. Perhaps it would have been better if they hadn't, because at least then Kristi would have been there when Wolverine woke up and they could have talked and Kristi wouldn't now be convinced that the big dope was avoiding her and have barricaded herself in her room and …… _Argh!!_ Jubilee squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her hands into fists at her sides. She hated other people's problems! They gave her headaches!

But this was one problem that Jubilee was determined to see through to the end because, in some small way, she felt at least partly responsible. If not for that blind date ……

She tapped on the door again. "Kristi?"

"I thought you'd gone."

"No such luck, girl. Look, are ya gonna come out of that room or not? Breakfast finished ages ago, but I'm sure we could rustle something up?"

"I don't want anything."

"Well, what about an early lunch then?"

"No, Jubilee. Go away. Please."

Jubilee tried a different track. "Well, why don't we go into town, then? Paige an' Sam are organising a trip to the mall. Wanna tag along?"

"Please, Jubilee, just leave me alone for a while, okay?" Kristi's voice sounded small and forlorn. "I'm …… I'm not feeling very well."

Jubilee sighed, sadly. "Well …… okay. If that's what you want."

There was no answer. Jubilee waited for a few minutes, then turned away from the door but, as she started down the hallway, she distinctly heard the heartbreaking sound of gentle sobbing coming from Kristi's room.

Her world was falling to pieces around her. And it was up to Jubilee to put it back together again ……

**oooOOOooo**

Wolverine opened his eyes as he finished his meditation, uncrossing his legs and rising to his feet from the floor in one fluid movement. Waking up in the med-lab that morning had been a shock to the system. He didn't like labs for obvious reasons. Labs brought back nightmares and memories he'd rather not dwell on. Of course, McCoy had insisted on fussing over him like a mother hen for a time, keen to make sure he was fully recovered before allowing him to leave but, after it became apparent that Wolverine was set to break something if he wasn't set free, the doctor had been forced to allow him to leave or risk that something being his own neck. Wolverine had returned immediately to his room where, feeling antsy and troubled, he had fallen back on an age-old remedy for easing his mind. After two hours of uninterrupted meditation, he felt more at ease and focused, but something was still missing ……

Flexing his injured shoulder, Wolverine executed a couple of bicep curls then turned his arm in a slow circle, nodding in satisfaction as a slight twinge rippled through the muscle. He'd expected as much. After being shot with carbonadium, a body didn't heal in two minutes, even his. It had taken his healing factor twenty six hours to do a job it would normally do in two, but then who was counting? At least he was back on his feet again. McCoy had given him a clean bill of health and he was itching for some exercise.

He moved to the full length mirror set on the wall, turning slightly to see the remains of the wound Sabretooth had inflicted on him during their fight in the cell. It had healed up completely, the scars almost unnoticeable now and they were fading fast. Another hour or so and no one would ever know they had been there. Likewise for the bullet wounds in his thigh and shoulder. The scar down his forearm where Roberts' goons had cut it open was another matter though. The faintest line still showed red against the surrounding skin, but Wolverine was confident it would have faded by morning.

He popped his claws to their full extension, feeling nothing more unusual than the initial sharp pain that always announced their unsheathing. Triggering the mental command that pulled them back into their housings, Wolverine watched as the wounds left by their passing healed instantly. His healing factor was a remarkable thing, when it got down to business.

Wolverine allowed himself a moment to study his reflection in the mirror before him. Bare to the waist and wearing only the lower half of his X-Men uniform, he looked the picture of health. Hard to believe he was at death's door only twenty four hours ago. Jean had told him he hadn't been a pretty sight when they'd brought him in and he believed her. Not that it bothered him much. He was a scrapper by nature and the knocks came with the territory. As he was so fond of telling himself, he was the best there was at what he did. And what he did wasn't very nice. By any stretch of the imagination.

Tearing himself away from the mirror, Wolverine stalked across his room to halt before the Honour sword of Clan Yashida, displaying proudly on its stand. Almost reverently, he picked it up, feeling the familiar weight in his hand and the wash of memories as he recalled the thrill of using the blade in battle. And, as his fingers curled, almost sensually around the blade's handgrip, he knew exactly what his body and mind were craving ……

**oooOOOooo**

Knowing Wolverine as well as she did, and his penchant for causing violence after a mission, Jubilee expected to find her partner in the Danger Room, bashing hell out of some Hellfire Club goons. But he wasn't there and the Danger Room logs said he hadn't been there all morning. Neither was he in the gymnasium, the kitchen or the rec room, all areas he was known to frequent. Grabbing at straws, she tried the library and the med-lab, these being areas he visited only if he was forced to, or unconscious, but still no Wolverine. She knew he wasn't in his room because she'd checked, so she trotted down to the garage to see if his bike was missing. It wasn't, and neither were his jeep or any of the other vehicles belonging to the school or other residents.

Puzzled, she wandered back to the mansion via Storm's greenhouse and the gardens, wracking her brain for clues as to where he might be, until a flash of silver from the direction of the Japanese garden attracted her attention. Changing direction, she discovered Wolverine working forms with the Yashida blade, a sheen of sweat across his muscled chest and a determined gleam in his eyes. He gave Jubilee the barest nod of acknowledgement as he noted her presence, but did not stop training. Jubilee dropped onto a nearby bench beneath a Japanese maple, content for the moment to simply watch and not break his concentration. She had seen her partner practise the forms many times before, but the sheer beauty and simplicity of it never ceased to amaze her. The way the blade spun and danced in his hands made it seem almost alive, at one with its wielder .

Watching him this time, however, she tried to see him through Kristi's eyes, instead of from her own point of view. She had always considered him as something of a father figure, an older mentor who she could look up to and learn from, and she knew he looked on her as the daughter he'd never had. Freed from those ideals, she now truly saw Wolverine for the first time and her breath caught in her throat – the way his muscles rippled as he swung the blade, the broad strength of his back and shoulders, his rugged good looks and the predatory gleam of his eyes – it all came together in one incredible show of male attractiveness. And now she understood why Kristi was so enamoured of him. Many women could go through life and never even meet a male as perfect as this, much less be bonded to one.

Jubilee was genuinely sorry when Wolverine finally made the final form and sheathed the sword, fitting the scabbard over his shoulders so that the sword hung diagonally across his back, the handgrip jutting into view just above his left shoulder. It was the classic way to carry a blade of this type, leaving the swordmaster's hands free to fight, but putting the grip near at hand for bringing the blade into play whenever necessary.

Wolverine picked up a towel from the ground near his feet and draped it around his shoulders, regarding her keenly with eyes that missed nothing.

"I'm real glad you're up and about again, Wolvie." Jubilee stood and took a step away from the bench, hesitating. "We were all worried about you."

Wolverine frowned, his nose wrinkling. The girl smelled nervous. What was she up to?

"Why don't ya jus' cut ta the chase an' tell me the real reason yer here, Jubilee," he growled. "House calls were never yer specialty."

"Hey, you think I don't care?" Jubilee's scent changed as her anger was piqued. "If I didn't care, you'd still be locked up in that rotten cell, being used as a human blood bank by Roberts' creepos! You just think on that, Mr I-Can-Take Care-Of-Myself!"

Jubilee's words confirmed the suspicion that was lurking in the back of his mind. "This is about Kristi, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. Have you been to see her?" Jubilee knew he hadn't, but it didn't hurt to ask.

"No, I haven't."

"Do you intend to?"

"Not really." At least he was honest about it.

"Don't you think you should? She's been crying most of the morning."

"So?" Wolverine knew she was upset – he could feel it through the bond. He honestly wasn't as insensitive as his words implied, but distraught females made him uncomfortable and he'd figured it best not to get involved. He saw no reason to explain himself to Jubilee.

"So? So she's crying over you, you great lump! She thinks you're avoiding her!"

Now that _was_ a surprise to him. "I'm not avoidin' her, Jubilee. My mind was on edge an' I needed to do somethin' ta calm me down. Which, I might add, yer doin' a great job o' ruinin'."

"So you haven't been avoiding her purposefully? You've been working with the blade?"

"I said so, didn't I?"

"Then tell her that, Wolvie!" Jubilee shot her partner an exasperated glare. "You know, she sat at your bedside all day and would have stayed there all night too, if Scott and Jean hadn't carried her, exhausted, back to her room. She's pulled bullets out of your sorry hide – with her own fingers, mind you! – nursed you and protected you. And you don't even have the decency to go and see her this morning! The very least you could do is say thank you!"

"Now listen here, Jubilation ……"

"No, you listen to me, for a change. If it were Scott or Jean standing here instead of me, you'd listen to their advice an' never bat an eyelid. But because I'm only fourteen, you think I'm just some stupid kid. Well, I may be fourteen, but I'm not stupid! I can see what's important, an' right now I can see Kristi's tearing her heart out over you. This is the girl you're matebonded to we're talking about!" Jubilee scuffed at the gravel with the toe of her sneaker, marring the garden's pristine lines. "You know, she once told me that she's frightened she's bonded to a guy who doesn't love her. How do you think that makes her feel? For heaven's sake, just talk to her, Wolvie! She doesn't want you to declare undying love for her, or anything, just a simple assurance that you'll work it all out an' not avoid her."

"Jubilee, I'm not ……"

"I know you're not, but Kristi thinks you are and that's what's important right now." Jubilee began to edge away as she spoke, aware of the fact that Wolverine was starting to hunch and growl, all evidence that she was beginning to overstep the mark and anger the feral mutant. But she had just one or two more things she had to say ……

"She loves you, Wolvie. God knows why, but she does. And I know you love her too, because I've seen it in your eyes when you look at her, so you can stop growling at me like that. Speak to her. Tell her what you feel in your heart. You'll find that it always knows the right thing to say."

Wolverine's thrown towel bounced off the bench as she skipped away, and he growled angrily in response to her words, teeth bared. But the flash of temper was gone as quickly as it came, leaving him with the sober realisation that he was actually more angry with himself than with Jubilee. To be honest, he had known Kristi had sat with him while he was healing – her scent was all around him when he awoke and more strongly on his hand, signifying that she must have held it. He had meant to go to her once McCoy had released him from the med-lab, but felt it best to put off any form of confrontation until he had put his head in order. Now, one thing had inevitably led to another, resulting in the fact that he seemed to be in the dog-house through no fault of his own. No, scratch that, the full fault _was_ his own. He should have gone to her when he intended to, he should have set things straight and put her heart at rest. Being matebonded didn't happen to a person every day, even to a feral, and when he should have been helping her through it and telling her what to expect, he had more or less left her to muddle through on her own. The fact that the bond had manifested at an inopportune time wasn't an excuse.

He stooped to pick up his fallen towel and headed inside. First he would get a shower and change, and then he would go and find Kristi. It was time to put things right.

**NEXT: **The final chapter! Will Logan and Kristi sort out their problems and end up as a couple? Or is it all destined to end in tears?


	27. Confessions and Conclusions

Hi everyone! This is it! The final chapter!

Many thanks, as always, to my wonderful reviewers - **bluedragon1836, Frozen Voices, nileena, Laudine **and **huffle-bibin!** Your continued support means so much to me!

And now, I know you're all anxious to find out if Kristi gets her man, so enough waffle from me! Onward ..... !!

**Confessions and Conclusions**

Kristi blew her nose into a tissue, sniffling dejectedly as she tried to coax her shattered emotions into some form of order. It wasn't easy. She felt as though everything inside her had been run through a press, stretched and kneaded until her feelings were wafer thin and transparent. And it annoyed her, because normally she was quite a level headed person, not given to flights of fancy or floods of tears. But everything had changed since joining the X-Men and meeting Wolverine. One look from the team's feral bruiser and her whole world had been blown sideways, ending up completely out of kilter and all askew. She didn't know where it was all going to end, but one thing was for sure – she was going to have to get her head in some form of order very soon because she couldn't stay in her room forever.

There was a soft tap at her door and she turned, dashing away an errant tear with the tissue. "Go away, Jubilee. I've told you, I don't want to go into town."

"It's not Jubilee," came the gruff reply and Kristi's heart jumped as she recognised the voice of her mate. "Can I come in?"

Her head desperately wanted to say no, but her heart couldn't deny him anything, so she shrugged, despite him not being able to see her. "Suit yourself," she said, out loud. "It's not locked."

The door opened and Wolverine entered, closing it softly behind him. He hesitated a moment, looking strangely unsure of himself, before walking forwards a few steps, stopping just short of Kristi to lean casually against her chest of drawers. "We need ta talk, darlin'," he drawled.

Kristi's breath hitched at the sound of his voice and she turned away to look out of the window, fighting the impulse that wanted to run to Wolverine there and then and bury herself in his arms. Was it the bond making her want to do that? _Treacherous thing!_ A quick glance back showed him still waiting for her response, one eyebrow raised slightly as though surprised by her silence. _God, he looks hot!_ Faded jeans and a black T-shirt gave him a roguish look, yet the image was softened by still damp hair, evidence that he'd recently showered. Kristi bit her lower lip, longing to run her fingers through the silky black strands to find out if the two crests were really as heavenly to touch as they looked to be.

Instead, she turned back to the window. "What about?" she forced out.

Wolverine blinked at her tone. _What the hell …… ?_ The damn kid's emotions switched faster than Quicksilver on speed. Before he'd entered, she'd been broadcasting hurt so forcefully that it was actually uncomfortable. Seconds ago, he'd been positive she was on the verge of throwing him to the bed and ripping his shirt off. Now he just felt anger from her. And her scent backed that up, too. She smelled …… well …… spiky, was the word he'd use to describe it. Seemed as though he needed to tread careful for the next few minutes, lest he land himself in a whole world o' hurt. Trouble is, 'careful' had never been his forte.

He took a couple of tentative steps forward, closing the distance between them physically if not emotionally. "We need ta talk about the bond, darlin'," he said hesitantly, testing the waters. "Yer probably feelin' a bit confused right now ……"

"No, Wolverine, I'm past confused." Kristi turned from the window to fix him with a withering glare. "I've got it all worked out. It runs something along the lines of 'Kristi loves Wolverine, Wolverine bonds Kristi, Kristi gets screwed'. Have I got it right?"

Wolverine rocked back slightly at the force of her anger. "Is that what ya think?"

"The hell it is, bub! You know, I had you figured for a really nice guy. Slightly scary and a bit intense, but still a nice guy underneath it all. I didn't figure you for a guy who would matebond someone without their permission and then leave them to fend for themselves. I'm not a toy you can just throw aside when you get tired of it, Wolverine! I've got feelings! And right now I'm feeling pretty damn stupid for ever thinking that I loved you! Whatever love I had went right out the window when you rejected me back at the barn and I won't let you do that to me again!"

Wolverine winced, grimacing as her emotions battered into his mind with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. "Tone it down a bit, will ya …… ?"

Kristi's hands balled into little fists as her sides and, despite his discomfort, Wolverine actually felt a surge of pride that his chosen mate was so feisty. The animal within him was another matter. Like the beast it was, it wanted to show its mate who was the dominant personality, make her submit to him, and Wolverine growled as he fought his bestial nature back down into the abyss before it could emerge and make things much worse.

Kristi actually took the growl as a threat, stepping back slightly and fearing she'd overstepped the mark. Anxiety rolled off her in waves. Wolverine suddenly found himself wanting to take her in his arms, tangle his fingers in her hair and assure her that everything would be alright, but instead he used her silence as an opportunity to get a word in edgeways.

Stalking forward, his eyes ablaze with feral intensity, he grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him, ignoring her startled squeak.

"Ya've had your say, Kristi, now it's time fer me ta have mine. First off, I have not been avoidin' ya. When I wake up in a lab, even one as benign as ours, it pretty much sets me on edge an' when that happens I'm not safe ta be around. So I spent the mornin' meditatin' an' puttin' my brain in order. If ya couldn't get through ta me, that's why."

Kristi's mouth formed into a silent 'oh'. Now she knew why Wolverine's feelings had felt calm and focused. But before she could voice her regrets, he continued.

"Secondly, I did not reject ya back at the barn." His voice was gruff, barely more than a growl as he looked earnestly into his mate's chocolate brown eyes. "I …… I was about ta mark ya, Kristi, an' it didn't seem right."

Kristi's eyes were as big as saucers. "Mark me?" Her voice was shaky and hesitant.

"Yeah." Wolverine really wasn't comfortable talking about his animal side, but he felt he owed Kristi an explanation. "Ferals mark their mates with a bite. Usually ta the neck, but anywhere'll do. I was about ta do that. An' I didn't think it was the right time or place. The animal side o' me isn't pretty, Kristi, an' I didn't want ta scare ya."

"But if you were going to mark me as your mate, then …… that means ……" Kristi trailed off, unable to voice the thought.

"Thirdly," continued Wolverine, oblivious to the girl's incredulous expression. "I admit I matebonded ya 'without permission', but I didn't exactly have much say in that either. From what I know of these bonds – an' it ain't much – it's pretty much an unconscious reaction, but always initiated by the male. However, as fer not lovin' ya, Kristi, there's one thing ya really ought ta know. The bonds manifest _only_ when there is an attraction between both male and female." He snorted and drew a hand through his hair, distractedly, making it seem wilder than before. "I guess I didn't realise it myself right at the start. Knew there was _somethin' _between us, but it wasn't until that night at the barn when we linked ta get the bullets out that it all dropped inta place."

Kristi's mouth dropped open at this revelation. She stared at Wolverine in stunned silence, simply unable to assimilate the implications of this through her shocked brain.

Wolverine chuckled, tucked a finger under her chin and closed her mouth with a soft click, as her teeth came together.

The action shocked Kristi back to her senses, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "Oh …… oh, Wolverine, I'm so sorry! I didn't know!"

"Not your fault." Wolverine wiped the tear away with his thumb and then drew her close, wrapping his arms around her and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She felt so good in his embrace, like she truly belonged there. The beast within him seemed to agree, and purred happily. "The bond manifested at a bad time, darlin'. Didn't give us time ta talk about it much."

"I honestly thought you didn't care for me." Kristi's hands hovered uncertainly for a moment and then Wolverine felt them slipping around his waist to rest in the small of his back. The inner purring went up a notch. "And then there was Jean ……"

"What about Jean?"

Kristi stirred uncertainly against him and he allowed her to step back and look up into his face, while still maintaining his hold on her waist. "When Gina shifted into Jean, I thought …… I thought you loved her and not me."

Wolverine's eyes darkened. "I won't lie ta ya, Kristi, there's always been an attraction between Jeannie an' me. But she chose her man, an' I've come ta terms with that. But I'd trust Jean with my life. Gina coulda shifted inta any one o' the X-Men, it just happened ta be Jeannie, 'cause o' that connection."

Kristi sighed, sadly. "God, Wolverine, I've been such a fool, haven't I?"

Wolverine pulled her back into the close embrace, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling her intoxicating scent. "It coulda been worse," he admitted finally, against her ear. He felt her shiver in his embrace and responded by giving her a squeeze. "Y'know, Kris, we're gonna be bonded fer a long time – the least ya could do is drop the formalities an' call me Logan. Use it, but don't wear it out, 'kay? It's the only name I got."

The surge of happiness, pride and love he received through the bond was so strong that he actually took a step back, rocked by the intensity. He grinned and tightened his embrace, resting his chin on the top of Kristi's head and puffing out a contented sigh at the feel of her hands running up and down his back. God, she felt so good. He hadn't felt this at peace with himself since ……

He suddenly released her, pushing her back gently so that he could look into her eyes. "We gotta keep this quiet, y'hear, Kris? Not a word ta anybody?"

Kristi looked back at him in confusion. "But why?" She felt so elated she wanted to shout their newfound love from the rooftops.

"People like me …… ferals …… we don't bond very often. A true matebondin' is rare. An' if the Furball gets wind of it, he'll have me in the lab so fast my feet won't touch the ground. I …… I couldn't go through that, Kris. It'd drive me crazy."

"Are you sure? About him dragging you into the lab, I mean?" Kristi frowned. "He seems such a nice guy. Surely he'd understand."

Logan shook his head. "Yeah, Henry's a nice guy, but he's also a scientist, darlin', an' if he knew of our bond he wouldn't be able to resist pokin' an' proddin' ta find out how it works. I can't deal with that. So we gotta keep this quiet, okay? Not a word."

Kristi nodded, slowly. "Well …… okay, if that's what you want. But it's bound to get out sooner or later. Gina and Jubilee know."

Logan grinned slyly, holding up a fist. "I'll swear 'em ta secrecy."

Kristi gasped. "Wol …… Logan, no! You can't threaten them!" She felt her heart leap at the feel of his name on her tongue and she couldn't help smiling at him in admiration and pride.

Logan, however, took that as encouragement. He grinned back, revealing sharply pointed canines. "Don't worry. I won't hurt them. Much."

Kristi would have been concerned at his words, but she could feel his intent through the bond and knew he was only boasting. He thought too much of Jubilee to even consider doing her harm, and Gina had sacrificed much to save them from her father and was now similarly trusted. A simple word in both their ears would serve to ensure their silence, although Jubilee was often something of a blabbermouth – secrets didn't stay secrets for long once the young firecracker got to hear of them. She didn't let them out intentially – she wasn't that coldhearted – but once her mouth got going it often didn't know when to stop. Kristi hoped her young friend would show some restraint for once. She honestly didn't know what Logan would do if news of their bond got out and the two of them became the focus of everyone's attention.

For now, though, she was quite happy to go along with whatever he said as long as it meant she could stay in his arms. He felt warm and strong, and smelled deliciously of a woodland scented shower gel. Bravely, she rested her head on his shoulder, and then blinked in surprise as he suddenly released her and moved away slightly. At first, she thought his feral instincts had resurfaced again and he had pulled away to restrain the animal within him once more, but then she realised he was looking around her room as though seeing the sterile walls of his cell. He 'felt' agitated and a sudden jolt of memory – a sense of being shut in and helpless – invaded her mind. She reached out with a pulse of reassurance, letting him know she was there for him as and when he needed.

He prowled up and down for a moment, then turned to her as he came to a decision. "Look, Kris, I don't know about you, but I need ta get outta here before I start climbin' the flamin' walls. Been shut in too flamin' long." He gestured towards the window. "There's a diner not too far away from here. It's not fancy, but it's clean an' the coffee's good. Hank told me they brought the jeep home, so I'll gas it up an' meet ya out front in twenty minutes, okay?"

Kristi nodded, surprised but elated at the chance to be out alone with the man of her dreams. However, one thing bothered her and, as Logan turned to go she stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Wait, Logan, what about Roberts?"

Wolverine snorted. "What about him? He ain't gonna come an' get me again, not now the whole team know his game. An' I'll be prepared this time. If he is out there, he won't get the drop on me again." He stalked to the door, swinging it open with the easy grace of the predator he so resembled. "Get changed. I'll be waitin'."

"Get changed?" Kristi looked down at herself, suddenly realising she wasn't exactly dressed for a trip outdoors and, before Logan had even closed the door behind him she was rooting through her wardrobe and pulling out clothes as though her life depended on it.

**oooOOOooo**

"Kristi! Hey, Kristi, wait up!"

Kristi paused halfway down the stairs, looking back to see Jubilee bounding down them behind her. She waited for her friend to catch up and together they continued down, Kristi aware that Jubilee was casting her furtive sideways glances.

"What?" she asked, as they reached the bottom step and started down the hallway to the front door. "You're making me nervous, Jubes! Have I put my clothes on backwards, or something?"

"Just makin' sure you're okay," responded Jubilee, with a pout. "You seemed pretty down this morning. I didn't expect to see you out of your room until the middle of next week." She paused, considering. She hoped Kristi's change of outlook was due to a visit by a certain stubborn but handsome feral who would remain nameless, but she could hardly ask and thereby reveal her hand in the plot. Instead she settled for something more innocent. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," replied Kristi, with a smile. "Really." She reached out to take Jubilee's hand in her own. "Look, Jubes, I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier, okay? I had a lot on my mind and I felt a little emotional."

"Hey, no worries!" Jubilee flapped a hand in the air dismissively as they reached the front door. "Us girls are entitled to have a hissy fit every now an' then. Clears the air, y'know?"

"Thanks for being there for me, Jubes. You're a good friend." Kristi pulled Jubilee into a heartfelt hug, which the young X-Man returned in kind for all of three seconds before stepping back with an amused snort.

"Hey, enough o' that! I've got an image to maintain!" She looked Kristi up and down appraisingly. "You look nice. Why so dressed up all of a sudden?"

Kristi grinned, looking down at herself. In just fifteen minutes, she'd achieved miracles, in her opinion. She'd changed into a pair of smart blue pants, with a cream spangly top and black leather jacket. She'd redone her hair, sweeping it up at the sides with two pretty combs with an effect, she was pleased to note, that resembled Logan's natural crests. She'd even found time to apply some make-up, skilfully accentuating her eyes, her best feature.

She gave Jubilee a sideways glance. "I'm going out."

"Out? Out where?"

"Nowhere special. Just for coffee."

"Oh?" Jubilee's hopes raised. _Please, God, let it be ……_ "Who with? You've missed Paige an' Sam, they left about an hour ago."

"You'll see." Kristi grinned widely and opened the front door, just in time to see Logan's jeep draw up outside.

Even though she'd been keeping her fingers mentally crossed in hope, Jubilee's mouth still dropped open and her eyes went wide. "Well, I …… you sneaky …… how? ……" She shook her head and settled for a grin instead of the words that would not come. "Way to go, dude!"

Kristi put a hand on her friend's shoulder, willing her to look at her. "You must promise not to breathe a word of this to anyone, Jubilee. Logan doesn't want news of our bond getting out."

"But ……"

"Not a word, Jubilee! I mean it!"

Jubilee frowned, sulkily. "Oh, alright, I promise! Although how you expect to keep something secret around here when there are three telepaths on the team is beyond me."

"It'll get out sooner or later, Jubes, but we need time to come to terms with it on our own before everyone else starts to add their own input." She turned to watch Logan as he adjusted his battered cowboy hat and then busied himself lighting one of his trademark cigars. "He loves me, Jubes. Isn't that wonderful?"

Jubilee pretended to poke a finger down her throat. "Oh, please! You're gonna make me ill!"

Logan leaned over the car door, gesturing impatiently. "Hurry up, dammit! I ain't gonna wait all day."

Kristi shook her head, grinning ruefully. "And he's got such a way with women, hasn't he?"

Jubilee laughed. "Hey, it coulda been worse! At least he brought the jeep an' not the bike!" She gave her friend a little push out onto the porch. "Go on! Get outta here before somebody sees you!"

Kristi chuckled and skipped down the porch steps. "See you later! Don't wait up!"

"You be back before midnight, y'hear?" Jubilee shouted after her friend, as she hopped into the jeep. "An' for heaven's sake, Wolvie, don't get into any bar brawls!"

She winced as Wolverine crunched the gears and sent the jeep hurtling down the driveway in a characteristic spray of gravel. She watched and waved until they turned out onto the roadway and drove out of sight, before turning back into the hallway and closing the front door behind her.

Wuffing out a relieved breath, she leaned against it for a moment, as her thoughts unexpectedly turned to more serious matters. Things were always changing within the world that surrounded the X-Men – people came and went, great events unfolded, doors opened and others closed. They were used to the unexpected – it came with the territory. Yet somehow, she couldn't help feeling that something momentous had just happened – something more important in the scheme of things than the simple act of two people declaring their love for each other.

For better or for worse, destiny had plans for the X-Men. Pushing away from the door, Jubilee wondered if destiny knew what it was letting itself in for ……..

**FINIS**

**NEXT: **Shadows of a Dark Mind!! In which a group of new members to the team have their own personal agenda, and Logan and Kristi learn more about what it means to be bonded. Will their newfound love survive the evil that has infiltrated the mansion?

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

So this final chapter brings us to the end of Death By Healing but, fear not, because the story now continues in Shadows of a Dark Mind! Set just three weeks after the end of this story, it continues the saga of Logan and Kristi, as the X-Men find themselves fighting for Xavier's dream in another mind-blowing adventure!

If you haven't already done so, click on Author Alert at the bottom of the page and you will receive a message as soon as I upload the first chapter! (Due at the end of the week!)

Those of you who are wondering what happens to Gina's father, wonder no longer! He will return in a later story and I think his involvement will amaze you!

I would like to thank all who have read and reviewed Death By Healing and I hope you have all enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed updating it! Your input has been greatly appreciated. When I uploaded the first chapter just five months ago, I expected to get little or no interest, but the response was overwhelming and encouraged me to continue and share my stories with you all! Now, with one story completed and another about to start, I hope you will follow myself and the X-Men into their new adventure!

**The saga is just beginning ……** **!!**


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